1919] AGRICULTURAI. CHEMISTRY ^AGROTECHNY. 507 



ess than whole fruits on jiccouut of the more rapid solution of the cellular 

 juices in tlie water. 



The composition and calorific value of sirups and molasses derived from 

 sugar cane, C. A. Browne {Jour. Amer. Chem. Soc, ^1 (1919), No. 9, pp. 1432- 

 1440). — This paper contains a brief outline of the changes in constituents of 

 sugar cane juice during sirup manufacture and the resulting changes in 

 calorific value of the juice, followed by experimental data on the composition 

 and calorific value of eight samples of sirups and molasses. These samples in- 

 cluded the clear mother liquor from pure concentrated sugar cane juice, open- 

 kettle molasses, a sample of first Cuban molasses, three of refiner's sirup, and 

 one of refiner's low grade molasses. 



The conclusions drawn from the investigation are as follows: 



In the manufacture of sirups and molasses by the ordinary process of 

 defecation with lime there is a progressive increase in the calorific value and 

 carbon content of the organic nonsugars, owing to the formation of dehydration 

 products such as caramel, saccharin, glycinic acid and its humoid deriva- 

 tives. Filtration over bone black results in a considerable removal of the 

 lime salts of glycinic acid with a decrease in the calorific value and carbon con- 

 tent of the organic nonsugars. Fewer dehydration products are formed in the 

 manufacture of molasses by the sulfitation than by the defecation process, the 

 result being a molasses of lighter color and lower calorific value and carbon 

 content of the organic nonsugars. 



The calorific value of the total solids in the sirups and molasses varied be- 

 tween 3.6 and 3.8 calories per gram of dry substance, the average being about 

 3.7 calories. The calorific value of the organic matter in high-grade open- 

 kettle sulfitation molasses and in high-gi-ade refinery sirups was found to be 

 about 3.9 calories, and in sugarhouse defecation molasses and refinery molasses 

 4 calories per gram of dry organic substance. The calorific value of the 

 organic nonsugars in refinery sirups was between 4.04 and 4.16 calories, and 

 in sugarhouse and refinery molasses 4.44 and 4.6 calories, respectively, per 

 gram of dry substance. 



The carbon content of the organic nonsugars in open-kettle and refinery 

 sirups varied between 40.32 and 42.74 per cent and that of the organic non- 

 sugars in a sugarhouse and refinery molasses 48.17 and 49 per cent, respectively, 

 per gram of dry substance. 



The results of this work are thought by the author to have some beai'ing 

 upon questions of nomenclature, in that refinery sirups which have been filtered 

 over bone black differ from defecation molasses so distinctly in the composi- 

 tion and calorific value of their organic nonsugars that in a chemical sense 

 they should not be termed molasses. 



The deterioration of manufactured cane sugar by molds, N. and L. Kope- 

 LOFF (Jour. Indus, and Engin. Chem., 11 (1919), No. 9, pp. 8^5-850).— Essentially 

 noted from another source (E. S. R.. 41, p. 416). 



Production of glycerin from sugar by fermentation, J. R. Eoff, W. V. 

 LiNDEK, and G. F. Beyer (Jour. Indus, and Engin. Chem., 11 (1919), No. 9, pp. 

 842-845, fig. 1). — This is a repox't of an investigation, conducted by the Division 

 of Chemistry of the U. S. Bureau of Internal Revenue, on the problem of glyc- 

 erin production from sugar by fermentation. 



The yeast finally selected as the best glycerin former was Saccharomyces 

 cllipsoidcus (var. Steinberg). Favorable results were obtained from solutions 

 of inedible black strap Porto Rican molasses, mixtures of corn sugar and malt 

 sprouts solutions, and solutions of corn sugar and metallic salts. The first 

 formed the cheapest source of sugar and proved to be as efficient for the pro- 

 ductuju of glycerin as tlie more expensive mixtares. 



