298 



When we extract the saccharine matter of the stalk of the 

 sorghum, either by expression, or through the aid of water, and 

 purify the solution by means of animal charcoal, we obtain glu- 

 cose, holding in solution some salts of potash, lime, and soda. 

 This glucose does not afford crystals by evaporation in desiccated 

 air, nor does alcohol, saturated with cane sugar, leave undis- 

 solved any sugar. 



The perfectly formed cells of the plant, triturated with animal 

 charcoal, afford to boiling alcohol the same substance. The dry 

 glucose is abundantly soluble in alcohol of 86 per cent., and the 

 dense syrup of the same dissolves without limit in it. After ex- 

 posure in warm air, crystalline concretions, resembling dry 

 grape sugar, form in isolated masses. Analysis shows a large 

 proportion of saline matter, composed of phosphoric acid, chlo- 

 rine, sulphuric acid, acetic acid and potash, soda, lime, and oxide 

 of iron. This saline matter forms a compound with the glucose, 

 and thus makes up the crystalline grains, which first appear in 

 the dense syrup. These are constant results, in treating the 

 plant which has been cultivated the two past seasons, and they 

 present no remarkable feature, in comparison with those obtained 

 on glucose from other soui'ces. 



After the lapse of several weeks, however, the pure glucose 

 which has been withdi'awn from the foreign aggregates exhibits 

 the production of crystalhne points, which, becoming numerous, 

 soon assume the forms of regular crystals. These crystals in- 

 crease in volume, but while forming in the glucose they present 

 skeletons, rather than solid crystals, of a pure substance, and are 

 often grouped. Crude syrup, remaining after the concentration 

 of the juice by rapid boiling, undei'goes the same modification, 

 and crystallized sugar slowly separates from samples which 

 originally did not contain any. 



Slips of the pith of the plant, which had been carefully exam- 

 ined under the microscope, without any traces of crystals being 

 found, after some months, show their cells filled with voluminous, 

 dry crystals. Repeated trials prove that the chemical change, 

 resulting in the production of the crystals, from glucose, is not 

 dependent on exposure to air and loss of water, but it takes 

 place when the syrup is kept in closed bottles. 



As the glucose is abundantly soluble in alcohol of 90 per cent.. 



