CHEMISTRY. 199 



A NEW COMPOUND OF LIME AND SUGAR. 



Messrs. Boivin and Loiseau have formed a new combination of 

 lime and sugar, wliich, moreover, contains carbonic acid. It is 

 prepared as follows : To 200 kilos, of sj'rup, containing 60 per 

 cent, of crystallizable sugar, are added 120 kilos, of caustic lime 

 as a thick milk of lime ; carbonic acid is then passed through the 

 mixture until a precipitate makes its appearance, when 20 litres 

 of tepid lime-water are added and the passing of carbonic acid is 

 stopped. The precipitate contains 43 per cent, of sugar, 40 of 

 lime, and 17 of carbonic acid. — Bull. Soc. Chim. 



FLUOSILICIC ACID FOR SUGAR REFINING. 



M. Marix has taken in France a patent for the application of 

 fluosilicic acid for the purif3'ing of beet-root and other saccharine 

 juices. The saccharine fluids are first dihited with a sufficient 

 quantity of water to take away the viscosity of these fluids, 

 sufficient fluosilicic acid is then added to precij^itate all the potas- 

 sium salts present, and next powdered chalk is added to saturate 

 any excess of the acid. The fluid is then filtered in order to obtain a 

 clear liquid, and this afterwards treated in the usual manner. — 

 Bull. Soc. Chim. 



MANUFACTURE OF SUGAR. 



The ** Journal des Fabricants de Sucre" states that experiments 

 are now in progress in some French colonies to try on a large 

 scale the plan of MM. Rousseau and Bonnaterre, of converting 

 the saccharine juice of the cane or the beet-root into a peculiar 

 saccharate of lime, and of transporting tliat salt, instead of the 

 raw sugar, for the j)urposes of refining. It is said that this com- 

 pound is as hard as sand, and can be transported without the risk 

 of damage and injury to which sugar is subject : it can, more- 

 over, be kept for any length of time. — Ghem. Neios. 



IMPROVED METHOD OP MANUFACTURING GLUCOSE FROM 



STARCH. 



M. Maubre finds that, by the usual mode of proceeding, a 

 portion of the starch is always left in the state of dextrine ; he 

 therefore operates under pressure and at a higher temperature. 

 For this purpose he employs a strong cylinder-shaped iron vessel 

 internally lined with lead ; this boiler is charged with 28 kilos, of 

 sulphuric acid at 60° B., and 2,800 litres of water, and the liquid 

 is brought to the boiling-point by means of high-pressure steam. 

 When boiling, there is gradually run in a mixture of 1,180 kilos, 

 of starch, and 2,500 litres of water acidulated with 28 kilos, of sul- 



