AGRICULTURAL CHEMISTRY AGROTECHNY. 



Ill 



tion and influx of air during the desiccation of soils wltli tlie aid of phosphorus 

 pentaclilorid. 



A simple method for determining' the mineral substances in water and 

 another for estimating the hardness of drinking and industrial waters, 

 WuNDEB (Miinehen. Med. Wchnschr., 58 (1911), No. 1/9, pp. 2611-2613, fig. 1).— 

 The method consists in measuring in milliamiieres the amount of a constant 

 current passing through a definite amount of water. The figure obtained is a 

 definite index to the amount of mineral substance present. The hardness of 

 the waters is determined by a solution of lysol, a soapy emulsion of cresols. 



A simple method for detecting and estimating the nitrites and nitrates 

 in water, J. Tillmans and W. Sutthoff (Ztschr. Analyt. Chem., 50 (1911), 

 No. 8, pp. 473-.'iD5). — The chief advantages of this modified method for deter- 

 mining nitrates and nitrites with diphenylamin-sulphuric acid (E. S. R., 25, 

 p. 14) are as follows: (a) The rapidity and simplicity with which the method 

 can be carried out, because it requires no special form of apparatus; (b) only 

 a few cubic contimeters of water are necessary for the test, even when small 

 amounts of nitrites or nitrates are present. One-tenth nig. of nitrous and 

 nitric acids per liter can be determined with accuracy. 



A rapid preliminary test for detecting added water to milk, J. Tillmans 

 (Molk. Ztg. Berlin, 22 (1912), Na. ',, pp. 39, J{0 ; Chcm. Ztg., 36 (1912), No. 10, p. 

 81). — The author calls attention to the value of the diphenylamin-sulphuric acid 

 reagent for detecting added water in milk. 



The determination of saccharose and the detection of dextrin in some 

 food products, A. F. Vollant (Awn. Falsi/., J, (1911), No. 36, pp. 50ft-^09).— 

 Lenieland's method (E. S. R., 24, p. 611) can be used for commercial sugars, 

 sirups, comfits, dried milk, and honey. As dextrin is not attacked to any great 

 extent by this procedure, the method can be employed with the aid of the polari- 

 scope for detecting this substance in foods. 



Constants of chicken and turkey fats, R. Ross and J. Race (Analyst, 36 

 (1911), No. Ji22, p. 213). — A number of constants are given, as follows: 



Cc.nstants for fat and fatty acids of chicken and turkey fat. 



"The fats were optically inactive. An examination of the fat from fowls 

 which had died of overfeeding invariably showed a higher Zeiss number and 

 iodin value than the normal values given above. This result is generally brought 

 about by the use of too much heating food." 



Determination of gliadin or alcohol-soluble protein in wheat flour, R. 

 HOAGLAND (Jour. Indiis. and Engin. Chem., 3 (1911), No. 11, pp. 83S-8i2).— The 

 chief difl'erences in the methods used for the determination of gliadin in wheat 

 flour lie in the strength of the alcohol employed and in methods of extraction. 



