CONVENTION OF OFFICIAL AGRICULTURAL CHEMISTS. 437 



products, infants' and invalids' foods, \'oo(>tjd>los, <'ondinients other 

 than spici's, and tea and cott'ee. Attention was called to tlie report on 

 cocoa and cocoa ])roducts, which is to l)e printed and sul)niitted to the 

 referees for criticism and approval l)efort' beino- formally presented to 

 the association. Considera])le work was done during- the year on meat 

 products and cereal products, l)ut as the repoi-ts or papers upon these 

 subjects related maiidy to the separation of nitrogenous l)odies they 

 were considered under that heading. The reports were presented l)}^ 

 the associate referees on colors, fruit products, distilled li(iuors, flavor- 

 ing- extracts, spices, oils and fats, dairy products, and preservatives. 

 The four recommendations of the associate referee on distilled liquors, 

 noted below, were approved. The report of the committee, favoring 

 the insertion of the Hanus method of determining iodin absorption as 

 a provisional method, was accepted. The methods recommended by 

 the associate referee for the detection of preservatives and coloring 

 matters in dairy products, the estimation of fat in cheese, and the 

 analysis of condensed milk, were adopted provisionally, as was also a 

 modification of the provisional method for determining glucose. A 

 paper on the subject of saccharin products was read by A. E. Leach. 



Report of associate referee on colors, W. G. Berry. — Owing to tlie large 

 amount of work required in the preparation of a complete and systematic resume of 

 the subject of colors in connection with food stuffs, the associate referee presented 

 only a provisional report upon this subject, deferring the complete report until 

 another year. Some portions of the synopsis were elaborated. Collaboration was 

 requested on the following points: (1) Solubility of the coal tar and vegetable dyes 

 in various solvents; (2) extractive values of the various solvents for d3'es in neutral, 

 acid, and alkaline solutions; (3) characteristics of the natural coloring matters in 

 fresh fruits, vegetables, and wines; (4) testing new methods noted in the various 

 chemical journals. 



Report of associate referee on fruit products, L. S. Munson. — It was stated 

 that practically nothing had been done on this suV)ject daring the year. Several 

 changes in the provisional methods necessitated by changes recently made in the 

 official methods were recommended. 



Report of associate referee on distilled liquors, C. A. Crampton. — Letters 

 requesting cooperation were sent to a number of chemists, but reports were received 

 from only two. These reports contained analytical data and suggestions for the 

 determination of free and combined acids, aldehydes, furfurol, and coloring matters, 

 and were given in full. The associate referee had expected to report upon a line of 

 work relating to the establishment of standards which had been carried on by him 

 for 5 years, and which formed the subject of a preliminary connnunication to the 

 American Chemical Society at its last annual meeting (E. S. R., 14, p. 524), but 

 found it necessary to postpone the report for another year. 



The following modifications of the provisional methods of the association were 

 recommended: (1) In the determination of alcohol, a higher dilution of the liquor 

 before distillation; (2) in the determination of extract, evaporating nearly to dryness 

 on the water bath, then transferring to a water oven and drying at a temperature of 

 boiling water; (3) in the determination of fusel oil, the distillation of the sample 

 with alkali to remove free acids and saponified esters; (4) in the determination of 



