Oct. 1, 1919 Notes on the Composition of the Sorghum Plant 



13 



v.— COMPOSITION OF THE JUICE 



The juice of sorghum has naturally received greater attention at the 

 hands of analysts than any other portion of the plant. Since, however, 

 in practically all the previous work on sorghum only sucrose, reducing 

 sugars, and solids-not-sugar were determined, it was thought desirable to 

 make a more thorough investigation and attempt to acquire information 

 concerning (i) the kinds of carbohydrates present, (2) the character of the 



^ MO. DAYS FROM DATE PANlCLfS Af 



Fig. 10. — Development of the crude protein in the various parts of the sorghum plant. 



noncarbohydrate solids, (3) the distribution of sugars in the cane, (4) the 

 history of these various constituents during the growth of the plant, and 

 (5) the effect of the removal of the seed heads on the sugar content of 

 the juice. 



(i) Kinds of carbohydrates present. — Dextrose, levulose, and suc- 

 rose are the only sugars definitely identified. Raffinose could not be 

 detected by the mucic acid reaction for galactose, nor maltose by the 



