BUREAU OF CHEMISTRY. 257 



natuTul waters in certain regions act on lead arsenate, breaking it 

 up and t'ormiijo- soluble compounds that are injurious to the foliage. 

 A number of the waters were analyzed and methods for overcoming 

 this objection were suggested. 



^^oAeral special calcium arsenates and four nicotine dusting mix- 

 tures were prepared for tests on cotton foliage. During the year 

 1.202 samples were examined to aid other bureaus of the department, 

 especially the Bureaus of Entomology and Plant Industry, in solving 

 ])roblems which required chemical investigations of an insecticidal 

 or fungicidal nature. 



Cooperative work with the Bureau of Entomology has been started 

 to make a thorough chemical and physical study of calcium arsenate 

 for the purpose of developing a more satisfactory calcium arsenate 

 for use as a dust application to cotton for the control of the boll 

 weevil. 



METHODS OF ANALYSIS. 



A portion of the time of the chemists of the bureau was devoted 

 to the development of new and the improvement of old methods 

 of chemical analysis. These methods are published from time to 

 time as they are perfected in the Journal of the Association of 

 Official Agricultural Chemists or in other scientific journals for 

 the use of chemists employed in the agricultural experiment stations 

 and in the industries. The development of methods of anah'sis is 

 to the chemist what the building of improved roads is to the trav- 

 eler, enabling him to enter new fields more easily, rapidly, and 

 efficiently. Results obtained in different investigations in widely 

 separated fields of activity are comparable only when standardized 

 methods have been used. 



Agricultural chemists in the experiment stations and colleges co- 

 operate in the development of methods of analysis. While the im- 

 mediate residts of this work are of interest only to chemists, the 

 ultimate results are reflected in an improved agriculture and in 

 the development or improvement of industrial processes for the 

 utilization of agricultural products. 



AGRICULTURAL CHEMICAL TECHNOLOGY. 



As a natural outgrowth of the research work in agricultural chem- 

 istry, there are in progress a number of projects which have for their 

 primary object the development of manufacturing processes which 

 utilize and provide new outlets for the products and by-products 

 of the farm. This is the practical application of the results of re- 

 search. 



IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF CANE SIRUP. 



Marked progress was made during the year in putting into com- 

 mercial practice the invertase method of making cane sirup to which 

 reference has been made in previous reports. Several cane-sirup 

 makers used the new process during the last season with excellent 

 results. A cane sirup which would not readily crystallize or fer- 

 ment was for the first time placed upon the market in considerable 

 quantities. 



