AGRICULTURAL CHEMISTRY AGROTECHNY. 213 



susar does not prodiu-e formaldehyde when boiled under ordinary conditions, 

 l)ut that furfuraldehyde is j)roduced, which reacts in such a manner with the 

 Ileliner test as to deceive the analyst who relies upon it alone without con- 

 firmation by the liimini test. 



Lead number of vanilla extracts, H. L. Jackson and W." T. McGeorge, Jr. 

 (Jour. Indii-'i. and Enyln. Vhem., 1 {1909), No. 7, pp. JflS, Ji79). — It was found 

 that the Win ton lead number as applied to vanilla extracts is a constant for 

 any one bean employed, regardless of the percentage of alcohol used in the 

 preparation of the extract. Some fui-ther tests seemed to indicate a possibility 

 of utilizing the lead number to indicate the quantity of beans used to make the 

 extract. 



[Official methods of wine analysis of the French Ministry of Commerce 

 and Industry] yZl.schr. Offciiil. Cliciii., !.'> {l!)o;>), .Vo. /'/, ]ip. 202-268).— This 

 is a descrij)tion of all the official methods of wine analysis agreed upon. 



Detection of fluorids in wines, C Mensio (Staz. ^pcr. Agr. Itnl., J/l {190f^), 

 lip. <St9-832; abfi. in Chcm. Zentbl, 1909, I, No. 12, p. W46; Jour. Chem. 8oc. 

 [Ijondon], 96 (1909), No. 561, 11, p. 67//).— The method consists in adding to 

 100 cc. of wine 2 to 3 cc. double normal sodium carbonate solution, heating, and 

 lir('ci])itating with calcium clilorid. The precipitate is washed, and heated in a 

 platinum dish with suli)huric acid, <'xposing the vapors to a wax-covered watch 

 glass having a lilllc l);n-(> spot for the fumes to act ui)()n. The test is sensitive 

 to 0.009 per cent. 



The determination of saccharin in beer, G. Jorgensen {Ann. Falsif., 2 

 {1909), No. Ji, pp. .58, 59; ahs. in Chem. '/Ay., 33 {1909), No. 106, Rrpcrt., p. 

 }J8). — In this method 500 cc. of the beer is concentrated to sirupy consistency 

 on the water bath and the residue extracted 2 or 3 times with 9(j per cent alco- 

 hol. The alcoholic extract is then submitted to distillation and the residue, 

 ;;fter adding a few drops of dilute sul])huric acid, extracted with ethei*. The 

 ethereal extract is evaporated to small bulk, some dilute sulphuric acid and 

 water added, and then oxidized with saturated potassium permanganate solu- 

 tion. The manganese precipitate obtained is taken up with oxalic acid and 

 the solution extracted with ether-petroleum ether. The ether-petroleum ether 

 extract upon evaporation yields the saccharin in crystals. 



A simple method of detecting sulphured barley and oats, W. P. Carroll 

 {U. >S'. Dept. Agr., Bur. Plant Indus. Circ. .'lO, pp. S, figs. 3). — The method con- 

 sists of treating the sulphured grain with zinc and dilute hydrochloric acid and 

 passing the hydrogen sulphid produced into a 2 per cent solution of lead ace- 

 tate. Tests of unsulphured barleys gave negative results. 



CJniform methods for analysis of cotton-seed products (Oil, Paint and 

 Drug Reporter, 76 {1909), No. 17, pp. 2SD, 28E). — A description of methods pro- 

 posed by a committee of chemists appointed by the Interstate Cottonseed Crush- 

 ers' Association. With cotton-seed meal the methods agreed upon for moisture, 

 oil, and nitrogen are stated, also a method for the determinati«m of the fatty 

 acids in soap stock. The committee recommends a water determination in all 

 analyses of cotton-seed meal or cake. 



A practical method of detecting peanut hulls in linseed cake, E. Collin 

 {Ann. Falsif., 2 {1909), No. 5, pp. 131, 132; abs. in Chem. Ztg., 33 {1909), No. 

 107, Repert., p. 46-'f). — Five gm. of the reduced substance are rubbed up with 

 hot water and filtered through a sieve. The residue is boiled with alkaline 

 water, washed, and treated with sodium hypochlorite. Peanut shells are not 

 decolorized by this treatment and can easily be recognized by their specific 

 gravity and the resistance which they offer when touched with sharp-pointed 

 instruments. 



