666 ANNUAL REPORTS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



Cane Sirup and Molasses. 



The samples collected some two years ago for an investigation of 

 the moisture ontent of these [)r(>tliicts received a rather complete 

 analysis. During the past sugar-making season another lot of sam- 

 ples was collected and analyzed. The results of these tests are being 

 tabulated to form a nucleus i'or a knowledge of the composition of 

 cane sirup and various grades of cane molasses. Samples of imi)orted 

 molasses are being studied chemically to see if they differ from the 

 products of the United States. This whole subject, together with 

 that of sorghum sii'up, must i-eceive much original work, as the dif- 

 ferentiatijig reactions and bodies are little known and the chemical 

 means of distinguishing them are very meager at present. 



Sorghum Sikup. 



During the past season, samples of sorghum sirup from two manu- 

 facturing districts of the United States were collected and the study 

 of chemical means of diil'erentiating this sirup from the sirup made 

 from sugar cane has been receiving attention. 



Effect of Environment on Sugar Content of Muskmelons. 



In continuation of the study of the effect of environment on the 

 composition of food products where sugars play an important part, 

 the work for the past two years has been on muskmelons. Analyses 

 of the melons grown at the stations in Florida, Arizona, Col- 

 orado, Kansas, Indiana, Maryland, New Jersey, and Connecticut 

 tend to corroborate in a general way the inference drawn from the 

 first year's w^ork, namely, that climatic conditions induced by rela- 

 tively lower temperature and higher altitude interact on each other 

 to produce a sweeter melon. Some attention has been devoted to the 

 chemical changes involved in growth and ripening of this melon. 

 In cooperation with the Vermont Agricultural Experiment Station, 

 many analyses were made of the " Montreal Market Melon " grown 

 in New York, Vermont, and Canada, and the results are forthcoming 

 in a bulletin of that station. The Bureau of Plant Industry co- 

 operated by supervising the growing of the crop and furnishing the 



seed. 



Miscellaneous Investigations. 



Powdered sugar. — The question of the use of starch in powdered 

 sugar is receiving attention. Numerous samples have been collected 

 from the grinders of granulated sugar by the official inspectors. 



Analytical methods. — Much time has been devoted to the prep- 

 aration of the sugars, lactose, maltose, levulose, and sucrose, in as 

 pure form as possible to be used in standardizing reducing sugar 

 methods. Some work has been done on the Clerget method for 

 determining sucrose in cane sugar and beet sugar products and 

 on the changes produced on storage of sugars. About 50 varieties 

 of grape juices have been tested for sucrose and for total sugars. A 

 new method for the determination of total carbon by permanganate 

 in sugar products, and its application in determining sucrose has been 

 tried out. 



