508 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. [Vol. 38 



Alcohol from discard molasses in the Philippine Islands, H. C. Bkill and 

 L. W. TiiuitLOW (Philippine Jour. Sci., Sect. A, 12 (1911), No. 6, pp. 267-292).— 

 Some statistics of the alcoliol industry in the Philippine Islands and abroad 

 are given and investigations of methods to improve the process of fermentation 

 of molasses as conducted in the Philippines reported. They include several 

 trial experiments on a large scale with and without temperature control. 

 Methods and analytical data are given in detail. 



The authors recommend the sterilization of the molasses solution wherever 

 practical, or at least the use of good water for diluting the molasses to a 

 definite density, about 16.5° Brix. Two gm. of sulphuric acid and at least 0.4 

 gra. of ammonium sulphate should be added to every liter of ferment. The 

 yeast should be grown from pure stock and used in the proportion of 1 part of 

 fermenting wort to lOQ or 150 parts of the ferment. The most efficient process 

 was found to be the Molhant method, as applied by Mirior,' of increasing the 

 resistance of yeast to more concentrated solutions of alcohol by beginaing with 

 a 10 per cent solution of molasses and gradually increasing the strength. The 

 tiptimum temperature of reaction was between 28 and 30° O. 



A handbook for cane-sugar manufacturers and their chemists, G. L. Spen- 

 cer (Neiv York: John Wiley d Sons, Inc., 1917, 6. ed., enl, pp. XV+561, flgs. 

 [It).— This well-known handbook (E. S. R., 35, p. 114) has been enlarged to 

 include a chapter on Evaporation and Juice Heating, by AV. H. P. Creighton. 

 This chapter includes a discussion of methods of juice heating, with diagrams 

 of apparatus, and of methods of calculation with data from various types of 

 sugarhouse evaporators. 



Modern margarin technology, W. Clayton (Jour. Sac. Chem. Indus., 36 

 (1917), No. 23, pp. 1205-1209; Rev. G6n. Sci., 29 (1918), No. 1, pp. 22-27; Sci. 

 Amcr. Sup., 85 (1918), No. 2200, pp. 131/, 735).— This article gives a brief his- 

 tory of the margarin industry and a summary of the methods now employed 

 in its manufacture. 



Determination of the rubber content of latex in the mixing tank for bring- 

 ing to a standard dilution, J. C. Hartjens (Arch. Rubbercult. Nederland. 

 Indie, 1 (1917), No. 5, pp. 367-37^; Meded. Procfstat. Malang, No. 20 (1917), pp. 

 8). — This article reports the results of experiments to ascertain whether the 

 rubber content of bulked latex about half an hour before all the latex had been 

 received differed markedly from the rubber content after all the latex had been 

 received and bulked. The experiments were conducted on five different estates. 

 Samples were taken out of the mixing tank after one-third, two-thirds, and all of 

 the latex had been received. There appeared to be only a small difference in 

 the rubber content of the bulked latex at the different periods of sampling, 

 and consequently there is thought to be no practical objection to taking the 

 sample for determination of rubber content by coagulation before all the latex 

 has been received. 



Safety for the household. — VI, Hazards arising from the use of chemicals 

 (V. S. Dept. Com., Bur. Standards Circ. 75 (1918), pp. 109-117).— This dis- 

 cusses, first, the dangers from materials in common use without thought of risk, 

 since they in themselves are harmless, and in some cases necessary for existence. 

 The contamination of the water supply by means of lead or bacteria or the for- 

 mation of ptomaines in food are examples. It then considers dangers from mate- 

 rials of unknown or not generally known properties and composition in more or 

 less restricted use, such as the use of rodent poisons, disinfecting and fumigating 

 materials, or the careless storage or use of dangerous chemicals, such as caustic 

 soda or corrosive sublimate. 



iBull. Assoc. Chlm. Sucr. et Distill., 31 (1914), No. 11, pp. 936-940. 



