194 ANNUAL EEPOETS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGEICULTURE. 



Salt. — A practical method was devised, and is now in use, to re- 

 move barium chlorid from brines in the manufacture of salt. 



Pharmacological investigations. — Investigations upon the phar- 

 macology of the organic acids were continued, and some of the data 

 upon citric, tartaric, and oxalic acids were published. A thorough 

 study of the oil of chenopodium was completed and published. This 

 oil, advocated in hookworm disease, was found to be quite toxic. 

 Much attention was paid to the pharmacology of water-soluble and 

 fat-soluble dyes used in foods. 



Sirup — Sugars. — Important progress was made in investigations 

 for the improvement of the methods of manufacture of cane sirup 

 in order to obtain a uniformly bright sirup that will not ferment. 

 A similar investigation for the improvement of sorghum sirup was 

 commenced. Investigations to improve the methods of manufacture 

 of candy, jams, preserves, jellies, and marmalades were continued. 

 Improved methods were devised for the preparation of a number of 

 sugars. A method of preparing raffinose has been published. The 

 mutarotation of the sugars was under investigation and the rotatory 

 power of a series of sugars and sugar derivatives was accurately de- 

 termined. Some of these investigations, as well as others upon the 

 action of enzymes upon sugars, have been published. The following 

 new compounds were prepared and made the subject of publications: 

 The second, third, and fourth pentacetates of galactose, the alpha 

 tetracetate of xylose, the alpha pentacetate of mannose, and the alpha 

 and beta pentacetates of fructose. 



Dust explosions. — Large property losses occur annually from dust 

 explosions in the thrashing and milling of grain. It is reported 

 that during the year 1914 more than $1,000,000 worth of property 

 was destroyed in thrasher explosions in the States of Washington, 

 Idaho, and Oregon. In cooperation with the Bureau of Mines and 

 the Office of Public Koads and Rural Engineering, these explosions, 

 as well as mill and elevator explosions, were investigated and means 

 were debased which it is believed will render these accidents less 

 frequent. Incidentally, observations were made for the Bureau of 

 Mines upon the explosiveness of dusts. 



Leather and tanning. — Methods for the determination of sugar 

 in leather and for the detection of oak in tanning extracts and 

 leathers were published. Much work was done to devise methods to 

 determine the durability of leathers. Studies were made and pub- 

 lished on the purification and disposal of tannery wastes. 



Cereals. — ^Microchemical, chemical, and baking investigations were 

 commenced to devise methods for the examination of the various 

 grades of flour. Experiments upon flour substitutes and upon the 

 methods of wrapping bread were also undertaken, and some of the 

 results have been published. Owing to climatic conditions, the rye 

 crop contained an unusual amount of ergot. Eye products were 

 therefore studied with a view to devising better methods for the 

 detection of ergot in them. 



Analytical methods. — Methods for the estimation of caffein and 

 antipyrin in admixture, the estimation of antipyrin, the estimation 

 of phenacetin and salol in admixture, and the electrolytic separation 



