516 



oils, waxes, and resins; (4) effects of acids and alkalis on fterniinating seeds; (5) 

 methods of conijiosting marls in order to change the plant food to an available form; 

 (6) sources of phosphates in fertilizers. 



The use of animal charcoal in the determination of fat in feeding 

 stuffs. — All account of these studies was also publislied in i\w American 

 Chemical Journal, vol. Yii, Xo. 4. To purify tlie ether extract and free it 

 from extraneous matter, it is suggested to place a layer of animal char- 

 coal ill the extractor just below the subi^tance to be extracted, from 

 which it is separated by a plug of cotton. 



In all cases 1 gram of the substance was used. With grain and meal 1 gram of 

 charcoal was used, and with hay, fodders, and the like, 2 grams. The amount of 

 charcoal can be varied at the discretion of the analyst, but the above amounts were 

 found satisfactory. The animal charcoal was a pure article, of medium tineness, 

 thoroughly dried, extracted with ether and again dried, and preserved for use in a 

 well-stoppered bottle. The cotton was of good (quality and clean, and had been 

 extracted with ether previous to use. 



The tabulated results of tests with cotton seed oil, butter fat, mutton 

 tallow, lard, and beef tallow show no appreciable losses from passing 

 ether solutions of pure fat through a layer of charcoal. Comparative 

 determinations of fat by the otiicial method and the moditied method 

 were made on a variety of grains, by-products, coarse fodders, and 

 dung from a digestion expi'iiment, Tlie otiicial method gave the 

 higher results in every ca.sc, the dirterence in ]iercentage of ether 

 extract between the two methods ranging from 0.1 (corn meal) to 3.59 

 (dried tomatoes), and amounting in the mainiity of cases to over 1.5 

 per cent. 



A few tests of the auKtunt of acid in the extracts, 8<dubk' in cold water, were made 

 by titrating it with dcci-nornuil sodium hydrate, jthenol phthalein being used as an 

 inilicator. In nearly every case some acid was found in tlie extract of method I 

 [oflicial method], reaching over 1 c. c. in some cases, there being scarcely a tnico 

 from the extract of method 2. The only case in whitli there was an appreciable 

 amount of acid in the extract of method 2 was from the sorghum silage. Tiiis on 

 further research was fouiul to be due to the acetic acid which such samjiles con- 

 tain. After tlu' trial of a numbir of materials for removing this it was fi.untl that 

 l»y mixing copper dust ov filings with the charcoal the acid cotild be reduced to an 

 inappreciable amount. 



The results and the general appearance of the ether extract by the 

 two methods lead the author to believe "that the use of charcoal 

 results iuach)ser approximation to the truth than any<tther method in 

 use. though absolute accuracy is not claimed." 



liKroirr or mkc"iia>'ical DKrAinMENT, E. H. Hijinkley (i>ii. 1".0- 

 11V2). — A brief account of the work of this department of the station, 

 with descriptive notes on various farm imi)lements purchased during 

 ISJH). The more comitlete e<iuii)ment of the station with reference to 

 making tests of farm machinery is urged. 



SrECIAL IJEPURT OX SUGAK 15EETS, E. II. BRIXKLEY (pp. LUi, I'M). — 



An account of an experiment in growing 5 varieties of sugar beets for 

 the U. S. Depiirtnicnt of Agri( ulture. The samples analyzed averaged 



