AGRICULTURAL CHEMISTRY — AGROTECHNY. 709 



the starchy material. The method is useful in determining the starch content 

 of cereals and similar materials in culture experiments. 



The occurrence of raffinose in raw sugar and its determination, F. Stkoh- 

 MKR {O-stcrr. Uityar. Zt^clir. Ztichciindus. u. Landic, 39 {1910), No. J,, pp. 6J,9- 

 6UG; Ztschr. Ver. Dent. Znckcrindus., 1910, No. CmG, II, pp. 9/ /-.9J/).— After dis- 

 cussing the discovery and preparation of raftinose and the evolution of the 

 methods for determining it, the author draws attention to the fact that ratfinose 

 is not usually present in the sugar beet and is only formed temporarily under 

 conditions which have not yet been determined. Neither is it produced during 

 the manufacture of raw sugar, being present only in the by-products. There 

 are no external characteristics which will enable one to detect a sugar con- 

 taining raffinose. Herzfeld's inversion method'' yields accurate results with a 

 pure mixture of .saccharose and raffinose but only approximate figures with raw 

 beet sugar. The plus polarization observed in the method in most instances is 

 derived from optically active nonsugars, chiefly torrefaction products, and not 

 from raffinose. 



Bagasse analysis: Determination of sugar and moisture, R. S. Xorris 

 {Ilaicaiiiiii Sugar Fhtnicrs' Sta., Die. Agr. and Chcm. Bui. 32, pp. 3.'i. figs. 2). — 

 As the analysis of bagasse is an important factor iu judging the percentage yield 

 of sugar from the cane, the author investigated the methods of analysis. It is 

 shown that the method of sampling is the most important feature of the analysis. 

 The bagasse loses much moisture in the process of chopping, and this must be 

 taken into consideration when weighing oft' the samples. A fine division of the 

 bagasse samples is absolutely necessary. The author suggests, on the basis of 

 his results, methods for moisture and sugar determination and sampling. 



" In determining the polarization of bagasse by digestion in water, the diges- 

 tion should be continued for an hour to insure a homogeneous diffusion of the 

 solution through the bagasse. No other dextro-rotatory substance than sugar 

 is extracted or produced from bagasse from Hawaiian cane by boiling with 

 water. . . . Two cc. of a 5 per cent solution of sodium carbonate to 50 gm. of 

 bagasse was found to be the most convenient reagent to use iu the water for 

 digestion. In digesting bagasse in water the solution should be mixed occasion- 

 ally to insure a homogeneous diffusion. No water should be added to the solu- 

 tion after digestion. The same results are obtained by water digestion for 1 

 hour and by extraction with alcohol or water for 1^ to 2 hours. . . . Bagasse 

 sjimples dry very much more quickly when spread out in a thin layer than in 

 thick masses. A 3-in. layer of bagasse can not be depended upon to have lost all 

 its moisture in 7 hours at 100 to 105° C. Bagasse can be dried safely at 125° 

 in .3 hours." 



A Ijibliography is ap])ended. 



The quantitative estimation of salicylic acid in jams, jellies, and comfits, 

 T. VON Fellenbkrg (ZtscJn: Untcrsuch. Nahr. u. GcnussmtJ., 20 (1910), No. 2, 

 pp. 63-10). — Tests were conducte*! with cherry, currant, bilberry, quince, plum, 

 apple, apricot, strawberry, and blackberry products and with a method which is 

 a combination of the Harry and Mununery method (E. S. R.. 10, p. 1052), and 

 Ihe Freyer method (E. S. R., 8, p. 460) for the titration of salicylic acid which 

 is based on the formation of tribromphenol when bromin is added to salicylic 

 acid. The limit of error with the method is about 0.01 gm. salicylic acid per 

 kilogram of comfit. 



Schardinger's reaction with cow's milk, V. II. Romer and T. Sames (Ztscltr. 

 Untcrsuch. Nahr. n. Gcnussmih, 20 (1910), No. 1, pp. 1-10). — This work has par- 



"Ztschr. Ver. Riibenz. Indus., 38 (188S), pp. OUO, 742, 11!)7: 40 (1890), p. 107. 



