1020 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD, 



" Heating a solution of lactose to 80° C. decreases tbe polarimetric reading 

 by an amount which may be corrected by multiiilying by 1.11. 



" Sucrose and lactose may be determined in the same solution by polarizing 

 the sucrose in the usual way and lactose at 8G°, after the inversion of the 

 sucrose. 



" These sugars may be rapidly and accurately determined in sweet and milk 

 chocolates by tbe optical method described. 



" Butter fat in milk chocolate may be approximately estimated from the 

 Reichert-Meissl number of the fat extracted therefrom." 



The inversion of sucrose by acid mercuric nitrate, C. B. Cochran {Jour. 

 Amcr. Clicm. ^oc, 29 (1901), Xo. -'/. pp. .')')■'>, 5o6). — The author gives the results 

 of numerous experiments with acid mercuric nitrate solution as an inverting 

 agent for sucrose. Tbe method is considered capable of giving reliable results 

 and is commended on tbe grounds of simplicity and ease of execution. As the 

 acid mercuric nitrate does not affect tbe polarization of lactose, it may be 

 employed with safety in the analysis of sweetened condensed milk. 



The unification of reducing-sugar methods, P. II. Walker {Jour. Amer. 

 Cliem. Soc, 29 {1901), No. 4, pp. 5'il-5'>-'i). — This is an extension of tbe table 

 of Munson and Walker, tbe two tables together giving the necessary data for all 

 of the more common reducing sugars. 



Improvements in the autoclave method of estimating crude fiber, 

 W. Bremer {Ztschr. I ntemuch. ^'alir. ii. Geiiiis.'<iiitl., IS {1901), No. 6', pp. .'i88- 

 J,dO, fid. 1). — In the author's opinion, materials may be more conveniently 

 ti'eated with glycerin-sulphuric acid in small porcelain cups than in porcelain 

 evaporating dishes. Where the cups are used, less time is required and the 

 results are fully as accurate. A metal stand for holding a number of the cups 

 is described. 



The amount of cellulose, lignin, and cutin in pepper and cocoa, H. Fincke 

 {Ztschr. L'litcrsuch. Xalrr. u. Genussnitl, 13 {1901), No. 5, pp. 265, 266).— 

 Determinations of pure cellulose, lignin, and cutin showed that not half of the 

 so-called crude fiber of the substances examined c-onsisted of cellulose. The 

 determination of these constituents of crude fiber, in the author's opinion, does 

 not furnish a better means for judging of quality than do values for total crude 

 fiber. 



[Laboratory apparatus] {Delaware Sta. Rpt. 1903, pp. 113-116, fig. 1). — 

 Illustrated descriptions are given of an ammonia condenser for use in the 

 Kjeldahl method and of a form of Bunseu burner with metallic connections for 

 use in batteries or clusters. 



METEOROLOGY— WATER. 



Monthly Weather Review (Jio. Weather Rer., 3'/ {1906), No. 13, pp. XVI4- 

 609-628, charts 6). — This number contains a table of contents, list of correc- 

 tions and additions, and an index of volume 34 ; a reix>rt of the Chief of the 

 Weather Bureau for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1906 ; a report of the Fore- 

 cast Division ; and a summary of observations on pressure, temperature, pre- 

 cipitation, humidity, cloudiness, and other meteorological phenomena. 



" The normal annual distribution of atmospheric pressure shows the exist- 

 ence of two well-defined high areas — one over the Ohio Valley, east Gulf, and 

 South Atlantic States, and extending eastward over the Atlantic, with the 

 crest, 30.10 in. or above, east of the Bermudas; while the second high area 

 covers the Pacific between the Hawaiian Islands and the coast of Oregon and 

 northern California, extending eastward into northern California and central 

 Oregon. 



