REPORT OF THE CHEMIST. 213 
~ samples examined in 1881, 39 were pronounced ‘‘ bad,” among which 
_. were 26 artificially colored; in 1882, 59 samples were examined, of 
- - which 30 were declared ‘‘bad,” of which 7? samples were artificially 
colored; 2 samples contained salicylic acid. The following is con- 
sidered there as a minimum limit forthe composition of a pure cider, 
and any sample which falls below it inany constituent is considered 
~ --as watered: 
‘ 
=") | Alcohol per cent, by WOME? 23. 52 5A. bs Secs eee ; 3 
Heirach im. Prams, perliter 2.57) 2. ase 25 4es 5s J basa Sawa ; 18 
\ 
: 
oy 
This is for a completely-fermented cider ; in sweet ciders the con- 
tent of sugar should exceed the limit sufficiently to make up for the 
_. deficiency of alcohol, to which it should be calculated. 
EXAMINATION OF THE SAMPLES FOR ADULTERATION. 
The investigation of the samples was undertaken with the full ex- 
pectation of finding a considerable number preserved with antisep- 
cylic acid was found, and in but one case was any test obtained for 
sulphites. None of the samples fell below the standard proposed by 
the French chemists, given above, and no metallic or other adulter- 
ation was discovered. 
a The single exception, however, No. 4927, was an embodiment in 
itself of nearly all the adulterations which have been enumerated as 
possible in cider. It was handsomely put up in neatly-capped bot- 
tles, and of a clear, bright color. Its tremendous ‘“‘ head” of gas 
when uncorked gave rise at once to the suspicion that it had received 
some addition to produce an artificial pressure of gas, for pure cider 
does not contain sufficient sugar to produce very much after-fer- 
mentation, any more than pure wine. The low content of free acid, 
together with the large amount of ash and very yariable content of 
carbonic acid in different bottles, established the fact that bicarbon- 
ate of soda had been added, probably a varying quantity to each 
bottle, while the dose of sulphites added was so large that a bottle 
has stood open in the laboratory all through the summer without 
souring. 
, 
ABSTRACT OF REPORT OF RESULTS OF EXPERIMENTS WITH 
MANUFACTURE OF SUGAR FROM SORGHUM AND SUGAR CANES. 
EXPERIMENTS WITH SORGHUM AT FORT SCOTT. 
Report of MAGNUS SWENSON. 
PRELIMINARY EXPERIMENTS. 
As soon as the earliest of the amber cane approached ripeness a 
large number of preliminary experiments were made in defecation 
and filtration of juices. The experiments in filtration were made 
_- with a small filter press with a hand pump. The cloth used was the 
same as that aBed in the large presses, and every precaution was 
tics. This supposition failed to be confirmed, however, for no sali- » 
