BUEEAU OF CHEMISTRY. 451 



SUGAR BEETS. 



The methods of analysis of sugar beets are under study to adapt 

 them more perfectly to commercial needs. A report giving the 

 results of beet analyses of samples received from all sections of the 

 United States as made during the years 1905 to 1910, inclusive, has 

 been submitted, and included in this is a resume of the methods for 

 the determination of sugar in the beet, also a bibliography of papers 

 devoted to this subject from 1839 to 1906, inclusive. As in previous 

 years, a number of samples of beets were analyzed for the Bureau of 

 Plant Industry. 



SORGHUM. 



In order to determine the sugar content of varieties of sorghum 

 grown in different sections of the country and their value for sorghum- 

 sirup manufacture, many samples have been analyzed in coopera- 

 tion with the Bureau of Plant Industry at their request. 



MISCELLANEOUS INVESTIGATIONS. 



The chemical investigation of imported honeys has been com- 

 pleted and the data will be compiled as soon as the statements are 

 received from the American consuls at the different ports from 

 which samples were obtained as to the conditions of bee keeping, 

 honey production, and collection there existing. 



An important line of investigation has been finished, and results 

 recorded in Chemistry Circular No. 71, on a method of extraction of 

 grains and cattle feeds for the determination of sugars. This con- 

 tains much work of a comparative nature, shows wherein errors may 

 occur in the present methods, and proposes a new method. As the 

 sugar content of these materials is of much importance in many 

 cases, the need of a method giving accurate results is seen. 



The analytical work on the composition and analysis of American 

 glucose and starch sugars is receiving some study. Comparative 

 analyses of many samples have been made and some special tests 

 are being tried. At present only a few scattered analyses of these 

 products are available, and this work will be of material value to the 

 rood chemist in his valuation of sirup mixtures containing varying 

 percentages of commercial glucose. 



The general methods of sugar analysis are constantly bein^ studied 

 in the Sugar Laboratory. New methods, as they are published in 

 scientific literature along this particular line, are tested and their 

 value for the work in hand determined. Especially is tliis so in the 

 question of the detection of commercial invert sugar in honey and 

 commercial glucose in sirups and molasses. This often requires 

 much work, and may produce only negative results, which are 

 however, as valuable as positive ones, since it is necessary to know 

 whether the proposed methods are easier of manipulation and yield 

 accurate figures with less chance of error than those now in use. 



VOLUME OF WORK. 



During the year about 800 samples were received for analysis by 

 the sugar laboratory and, in most cases, a complete exammation 

 was made. Besides these, 400 analyses were made in the field on 



