AGRICULTURAL CHEMISTRY. 437 



describes liis method of determining crude fiber in food or feeding stuffs bj means of 

 a mixture of glycerin and sulphuric acid (E. S. R., 9, p. L021 . The amount of 

 lignin in the crude fiber can be determined by treatment with hydrogen peroxid 

 to which ammonia has been added. This reagent dissolves the lignin, leaving the 

 pure cellulose behind. 



The cleavage products of starch, A. ROssing (Chem. Ztg., ?fl 

 pp. 861 878 i. This article has t<> '1" with the cleavage products obtained by hydrol- 

 ysis of starch with hydrochloric acid, their estimation in starch sugars and sirups, 

 and their effect upon the use of the latter in the confectioner) industry. 



According to tin- author, the hydrolysis of starch with hydrochloric acid under 



suitable conditions gave a mod ificati( f the ordinary glucose, which may be detected 



by its lower reducing power under the influence of barium hydroxid. The lower 

 reducing power is due largely to the formation of lactic ami other organic acids an. I 

 serves for the determination of normal glucose ami dextrin. 



In addition to abnormal glucose, unfermentable bodies, dextrin, and reversion 

 products were also obtained which have a strong reducing power and arc hygroscopic. 

 The author believes that the use of starch sirup obtained in this way in confectionery 

 should not he permitted. 



The analysis of wheat flour for commercial purposes, H. Snyder (5. I"t, mat. 

 Kong. Angew. ( 'hem., 1903, Ber. 8, />/>. 702-1 10, pis. : \. 1 different factors which should 

 he studied in the commercial analysis of flour are recorded and analytical methods 

 described. The author believes that it is possible to judge of the quality of flour and 

 thai satisfactory and definite standards can be formulated. 



The estimation of moisture in bread, A. Pagniello (Bol. Chim. Farm., ',-'■ 

 pp. 809-818; ribs, in Zlschr. Untersuch. Nahr. u. Genussmtl, 9(1905), No. tl,p.i 

 The amount «>f water in crust ami crumb of bread was determined by heating sam- 

 ples weighing 50 to LOO gm. for 7 hours in a drying oven at L05 to I L0 < '. ami calcu- 

 lating the amount of water in the original loaf. 



On the absolute desiccation of vegetable materials, L. Maquenne <<'<nn/>i. 

 Rend. Acad. Sci. [Paris], 141(1905), No. p:. rr . 609-612) .—Starches and flours 

 placed in tubes through which a current of dry air was forced to pass at the rate 

 of aboul I liter per hour, and dried in a thermostat at L20° C. for 1 hour or hi" 

 for 2 hours, showed about 1 per cent more moisture than samples dried in the 

 ordinary way. 



The harmfulness of artificial colors in foods, G. Sea \< iikki. (5. Internal. R'>>,,<i. 

 Angew. Chem., 1908, 11 r. 8, pp. 1041-1048) . — A summary and discussion of data 

 regarding artificial coloring matters and their use in food products. 



A simple method for determining- boric acid quantitatively, < >. von Spindler 

 (Chem. Ztg., 29 (1905), No. 43, pp. 582-584).— The author describes a modification of 

 the method of estimating boric acid which depends on the fact that it is volatilized 

 with methyl alcohol and may be distilled with this reagent. 



On fat determination in milk, T. S. Thomsen (Mselkeritid., is I t» 

 pp. 859-865). — The author explains the lower results obtained by the extraction 

 method of milk analysis as compared with the Gottlieb method (in the author's 

 analyses, amounting to 0.38 to 0.06 per cent for buttermilk, and 0.26 to <>.<>•"- per cent 

 for skim milk |, by an incomplete extraction of the fat in the milk BO lids, because the 

 casein protects BOme of the fat from the action of the ether. When the casein "f the 

 milk was peptonized previous to the drying of the milk, identical results were obtained 

 by the two methods, both in the case of buttermilk, half-skimmed milk, and skim 

 milk high or low in fat. The peptonization did not, on the other hand, affect the 

 results obtained by the Gottlieb method. 



The peptonization of the milk was conducted in the following manner: To •"• drops 

 of Btrong hydrochloric acid placed in the dish to he used for the determination of the 

 solids in the milk were added 10 cc. of milk, and finally about «>. 1 gm. of Btrong 



