802 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



The green coloration of copper sulphate in liydrocblorie acid is retained much 

 longer when sucrose is present, and it inhibits somewhat the precipitation pro- 

 duced by hydrochloric acid when added to mercurous nitrate. In the presence 

 of hydrochloric acid sucrose yields a dark green coloration with potassium bi- 

 chromate, a blue with ammouiummolybdate, and a brown, which changes to violet, 

 with ammonimn vanadate. No coloration was produced with sodium tungstate 

 or titanic acid in the presence of sulphuric acid. Sodium arsenate and hydro- 

 chloric acid together with sucrose produce a rose-red color. Of the colorations 

 produced with organic bodies the most marked is the red with tannic acid in 

 the presence of hydrochloric acid. Resorcin and hydrochloric acid gave a goose- 

 berry-red color. The author points out the value of the last two and of the 

 arsenic acid reaction for the detection of sucrose. 



Behavior of humin in alkaline solutions of bromin, A. Konschegg {Ztschr. 

 Physiol. Chcm., 69 {1910), No. 5, pp. 390-394). — Humin bodies were prepared by 

 treating carbohydrates as follows : 



Two hundred and fifty gm. of dextrose were heated for 12 hours with 1 liter 

 of 24 per cent hydrochloric acid solution, the latter being repeatedly evaporated 

 off and replenished. The resulting dark brown brittle mass was extracted with 

 potassium hydrate, it being only partly soluble. The resulting filtered brown 

 solution when treated with dilute hydrochloric acid yielded a brovm flocculent 

 precipitate. This precipitate was considered humic acid, and the portion in- 

 soluble in potassium hydrate, humin. 



The insoluble humin when repeatedly treated with a warm potassium hydrate 

 solution was converted into a slimy, tough mass. This mass was repeatedly 

 washed with water to remove the alkali, and dried at 100° C. to a hard, 

 vitreous-like brittle mass, which when ground yielded a brown powder insoluble 

 in water, alkali solutions, acids, ether, and alcohol. It was, however, found to 

 be soluble in an alkaline bromin solution, but only when the mass was mixed 

 with the potassium hydrate solution first and bromin added slowly afterwards. 

 After a time some white flocculent matter was precipitated. The same kind of 

 precipitate was also obtained from the humic acid, and when examined under 

 the microscope was found to be crystalline in structure. It was readily soluble 

 in ether. The crystals were finally obtained in a pure state, and were found to 

 possess a melting point of 92°, to be readily soluble in ether, acetone, and 

 chloroform, and to have a camphor-like irritating odor. On the basis of analysis 

 the author believes it to be tetrabrommethan. 



This work indicates that carbohydrates are not totally decomposed by the 

 action of acids. 



A study of the lignocellulose of timothy hay, G. C. Given (Pennsylvama 

 Sta. Rpt. 1910, i)p. 2-'i8-25Jt). — The lignic acid, so-called, present in timothy hay 

 (Phleutn pratense), was foimd to resemble the liguone which has been obtained 

 from jute and the lignin obtained by Browne (E. S. R., 16, p. 440) from sugar- 

 cane fiber. It had a dark brown color and a vanillin-like odor. It was found to 

 have an active carbonyl of ketone nature and an active carboxyl group, as 

 evidenced by the fact that the precipitate gave reactions with semi-carbazid and 

 with nitrate of silver. Aldehyde could not be obtained with Schiff's reagent. 

 It was not determined whether the body belonged to the hexene series, in which 

 it was placed by Cross and Bevan, but if so the author suggests that it has one 

 or more side chains in view of its behavior with potassium permanganate. An 

 elementary analysis of the lignin precipitate gave a formula corresponding to 

 C20H24OS. 



Cellulose when prepared by the usual methods was found to contain much 

 oxycellulose. Phlein, the inulin-like body observed by Ekstrand and Johanson 



