116 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. [Vol.40 



a palm butter with a low acid number by immediately heating the fruit above 

 100° in the melted fat before the separation of the stones and by heating the 

 fat to 100° before the final packing. 



New tables for finding purity of massecuite, N. Claiborne {Sugar [New 

 York], 20 (1918), No. 11, pp. 454. 455).— Tables based upon the total solids in 

 the material used are given for finding the percentage of sirup or molasses 

 required to give a massecuite of any desired purity, the purity of the molass - 

 and sirup being known. 



On a source of error in the use of picric acid in colorimetric estimations in 

 biological fluids, Alice RoHDE and Marion Sweeney {Jour. Biol. Chem., 86 

 1 IH18), No. 2, pp. 475- ',7? 1.— The authors conclude from blood sugar determi- 

 nations with different samples of picric acid that a chromogenlc substance 

 oilier than BUgar is present in the blood which certain picric acids fall to pre- 

 cipitate. Solid picric acid, after purification, may undergo a change in its 

 precipitating value for chromogenlc substances in the blood. It Is, therefore, 

 considered necessary to determine the precipitating value of picric acid before 

 reliance can he placed upon color production in quantitative procedures for 

 blood sugar. 



A method for the estimation of potassium in blood, S. \\". Cl WB\ \ {Jour. 

 Biol. Chem., 86 {1918), No. 2. pp. 179-48)). A " adaptation of the cobaltic 

 nitrite method of Drushel (B. S, R., 19, p. ^" s > to the determination of poi a 

 Blum in small quantities of organic material is described. The modification 

 consists essentially in heating potassium sodium cobaltic nitrite with dilute 

 sodium hydroxld and estimating the nitrites thus formed by titration with 

 dilute potassium permanganate. 



Homemade beverages and vinegars, J. P. A&N0 D [Chicago: North Chi 

 Printing Co., 1918. i>p. 12). — The theoretical principles Involved in fermentation 

 are discussed briefly, and recipes are given for the home manufacture of 

 wines, cider, perry, been, and vinegars. 



The utilization without distillation of defective or acid ciders, perries, and 

 lees, A. Tktjellk {Vie. igr. ei Rurale, 8 {1918), No. 87, pp. 189 191). The 

 author suggests the utilization of defective ciders and perries in animal feed- 

 ing and iii Vinegar making. The manufacture of vinegar is disCU88ed in detail. 



The use of hydrochloric or other mineral acids and special reagents for 

 the preservation and ripening of forage in silo in warm climate-. 1. Qiqi ion 

 {Tr<ni*. .7. Tntemat. Conn. Trop. Agr. l'.'l'/. vol. .'. />;<. <W>: 690).- -This is a com- 

 pilation of the results of many Investigations in different countries in regard 

 to methods Of treatment of Bilage The methods considered in detail are treat- 

 ment of the Bilage with steam, inoculation with lactic acid ferments, addition 

 of molasses or BUgar, treatment with special antiseptics, and treatment with 

 special mineral acids or salts. An extensive bibliography is appended. 



Potato drying, V. PSGXXON (P«d. R. AOOOd. Lincei, ComitatO Sot, Aliment. 

 [Home], No. 5 (1918), pp. 11. flfft. $). — This is a circular of information in re- 

 gard to the potato-drying industry in various countries, together with descrip- 

 tions of methods and machinery for the process. 



METEOROLOGY. 



Climate and types of farming (C B. />< /<f. Agr., Nat, Weather and Crop 

 idiL, No. 18 {1918), )>i>. I, 8). — The Influence <>f climate on types <>f farming In 



different parts Of the United States is diSCUaeed, and the characteristic climatic 



features of five agricultural provinces east of the Rocky Mountains are noted. 



"Bast of the Rockies the agricultural provinces have more or I Inita 



climatic boundaries, extending in a general way in an eaat-wesl direction. 



