THE MICROSCOPE. 6i 



The grains of starch-glucose are opaque and look like pieces of 

 tallow. 



In the adulterated sugar, the crystalline grains of real sugar and 

 the opaque, amorphous grains of starch-sugar may be seen side by 

 side with great distinctness. 



I send you herewith samples of coffee sugar, also samples of 

 starch-sugar and of the adulterated sugar, that you may see them 

 for yourself. — P. Casamajor, in American Monthly Microscopical 

 Journal. 



Potato Flour. — Potato flour is in demand to a much greater 

 extent than would be supposed. It is employed largely in various 

 manufacturing processes, as an adulterant to wheat flour and in the 

 manufacture of starch. When used as an adulterant to wheat flour, 

 its province is that of increasing the bulk of bread from a given 

 amount of flour. The starch grains of potato flour are much larger 

 than those of wheat, and in the baking process these grains burst 

 and occupy a much larger space than starch grains from the latter, 

 making the loaf look larger, although not increasing the weight. A 

 little potato flour added to the bread dough is to be recommended 

 as producing a more porous result than that arrived at by using 

 wheat flour alone. But when carried to excess, the effect of potato 

 flour is the production of bread containing large cavities. Pure 

 potato flour is a glistening white flour, contrasting very favorably 

 when looked at by the side of wheat flour. Yet, when used to 

 adulterate the latter, it is sometimes very difficult to detect without 

 resorting to the microscope or applying chemical tests. It is largely 

 used as sizing, and when calcined is a valuable dressing for silk. So 

 great has the demand for this product become, that one county of 

 England alone consumes 20,000 tons annually. The price of the 

 flour in Liverpool is nearly double that of wheat flour. — Ex. 



The Swindle in Vinegar. — Some remarkable revelations con- 

 cerning the adulteration of food are made in the annual report, just 

 published, of the inspector of vinegar for the city of Boston. The 

 total amount of the liquor sold and used in Boston each year under 

 the name of vinegar is estimated at about 3,000,000 gallons. Of 

 this, the inspector declares, less than one-tenth is pure apple juice, 



