113 
CHEMICAL MEMORANDA. 
By Wm. McMuvurtTrRIE, CHEMIST. 
During the past month the work in the laboratory has been confined 
to analysis of corn, and principally to comparative experiments with 
different methods of proximate analysis of cereals, with a view to the 
determination of that which gives the best and most reliable results, 
and after some considerable trouble and delay, we have found one which 
seems not only to yield results which are entirely satisfactory, but also 
to be free from the complication so troublesome in the other methods 
in general use. In order that we may be able to experiment further 
with some few points in the details of working, we shall not publish 
our method with this month’s issue, but reserve it to be published with 
some other analyses of corn with which we are about to proceed. 
The object of these analyses is to determine the comparative value of 
the most important varieties of corn in the market by a comparison of 
the relations of the market-values to the quantity of the most important 
constituents which they contain. The analyses may then be applied to 
the different purposes for which the grain is used. 
To this end we have chosen two varieties of gourd-seed corn, the 
white and yellow, as being fair representatives of the markets of the 
North and South, the former representing the southern corn, and the 
latter that of the North. The following are the results of a proximate 
analysis of yellow gourd-seed corn grown upon the farm of the Com- 
missioner of Agriculture, in Pennsylvania: 
Perrine, (Rovetinined. ait 1a0> C.). 0 < 2 ~ c-cend mn basin dgies odie a-jactmeenhsense 8. 87 
RA Re en Rs a OG BE ee ee Ne So ace Ce wicrciae HA ies cia Sc ec peimis ui aie Seals Lal Iv 
cove oe tbcidehtess yagi’ Gece il ss SIRES i ter Se bye lia ne Sa A 1. 10 
Appartments eet ae ea Cease. tease ets. 23 LUSUILOR Sold TOR oss FHS Ae OB | 
CNL estat) kG ® ey Peal t= BTL? . Se'y cies, afte as Sa ueiiceaea ds Luss Pees te el! 1.98 
Singita ee a a 2S LARS EE ett SE REE Be OS bed 70. 66 
A Wy coihuSiion ts Shs Satel eis cht WI epee ae le 29 eth Me nh alge 7.94 
VETO eens eee ce me eS ee OO ae ooo aeccee sae. 1.72 
REECE Ca eee: tee ete: . Sess Lee yrs ove fradyreary . YS SR sie 1. 33 
100, 00 
lt will be seen that the percentage of moisture in this sample is quite 
low, and this is probably due to storing for some time in the Depart- 
ment building, where the temperature varies from 65° to 70° F., as well 
as to possible loss in the process of grinding and pulverizing. 
BEET ROOT.—The following are the results of an analysis of beet 
grown in Nebraska, made by Samuel Aughy, professor of natural sciences 
in the State Agricultural College of Nebraska, during the fall of 1872: 
Per cent 
Average amount of cane sugars. ssi s-.25.6.-- ~~ at. eos Sy. eee: 13. 50 
PRTC EEE DIL OUND GE PPR UIORE oa fi ais ciate we = 2 = wc geen e que weeny neee ns 0, 50 
Average amount of potassa and soda compounds......---.--..---..+-.+-+--- 0. 43 
Averare amount of magnesia and lime?)sis5.).. 222 tS 2 ie. woe eee 0.18 
Average amount of nitrogenous substances..---...---.---. 0-2-2226 02-265 - 0.7 
SCIENTIFIC NOTES. 
Reduced or reverted phosphates—During the past few years a greab 
deal has been said and done with regard to the value of the different 
forms of phosphate of lime so extensively used in agriculture, and the 
DA 
