208 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



"A large majority of the samples examined contained an unnecessary quantity 

 of uncombined tanning material. But little less than $1,000,000 worth of 

 tannin is wasted annually in this way. Sixty-three per cent of the leathers 

 examined were weighted with glucose, with Epsom salts, or with both. The 

 quantity of loading varied from 1 to 7.3 per cent of Epsom salts, with an 

 average of 3 per cent. The maximum quantity of glucose in the loaded 

 leathers was 10.4 per cent and the average 5.5 per cent. The maximum amount 

 of these loading materials found in any leather was 16 per cent and the average 

 where both were present was 8 per cent. The results obtained indicate that 

 not less than 12,000,000 lbs. of glucose and Epsom salts are sold annually in 

 sole leather to the American people. 



"The materials add absolutely nothing to the wearing value of the leather, 

 and where present in large quantities, may positively decrease its wear. Shoes 

 made from these leathers are readily penetrated by water. Loading makes 

 leather more costly, consequently an inferior leather costs more than a good 

 leather. Leather-making raw materials are wastefully consumed, the product 

 may be inferior, the cost increased, and health is endangered by the prevalent 

 practices of weighting and bleaching sole leather." 



Sisal, W. McGeorge {Hawaii Sta. Rpt. 1912, pp. 58, 59). — The results of 

 this work have been previously noted (E. S. R., 27, p. 717). 



Methods of manufacture and their influence on the m^aple product, A. H. 

 Bryan {Proc. Vt. Maple Sugar Makers' Assoc, 1911, pp. 22-29). — This is a 

 discussion of the methods of manufacturing maple sirup and sugar used in 

 Vermont, etc., and deals particularly with the factors involved in obtaining a 

 light-colored, fine-flavored maple sirup. This is said to depend almost wholly 

 upon handling the fresh sap under cleanly conditions and boiling to a sirup as 

 quickly as possible. 



Cider sickness, B. T. P. Barker and V. F. Hiixier (Rpt. Brit. Assoc. Adv. 

 Sci., 1911, pp. 596, 597; Jour. Ag. Sci., 5 (1912), No. 1, pp. 67-85 ) .—Cider sick- 

 ness is a disease of cider and perry which occurs in the early part of summer. 

 The first symptoms usually noted are the characteristic frothing of the liquor 

 and a sudden and violent evolution of carbon dioxid gas mixed with a little 

 hydrogen gas. With this process the pleasant, fruity character of the cider 

 disappears and is displaced by a disagreeable peculiar odor and taste, and it 

 later becomes turbid, loses its color, and becomes milky and thick. In some 

 instances the cider remains clear but deposits a thick precipitate. 



During the " sickness " the specific gravity decreases owing to the destruction 

 of sugar, and the percentage of alcohol is increased. Such cider is prone to 

 acetification. Tannin present in large amounts does not check the disease. 



"An examination of the flora of sick ciders has led to the isolation of a bacte- 

 rium which can produce all the symptoms of sickness in sterilized ciders and 

 perry infected with pure cultures of it. The characters of the organism have 

 been studied in detail. It is motile and facultatively anaerobic. Its optimum 

 temperature of growth is about 30° C. Xo growth has been observed above 40°, 

 and at temperatures below 12 to 15° growth is extremely slow. It can ferment 

 dextrose and levulose, producing alcohol and an evolution of gas which consists 

 of about 95 per cent carbon dioxid and 5 per cent hydrogen. A characteristic 

 acid odor resembling that of decaying lemons is also formed in dextrose solu- 

 tions. The acidity of the solution is somewhat increased, but the presence of 

 any of the commoner organic acids has not been recognized. Neither saccharose, 

 maltose, nor lactose appear to be attacked by it. It grows best in neutral or 

 very slightly acid media. Solutions containing more than 0.5 per cent malic 

 acid are unfavorable to its development. It can ferment beer wort but the 



