On the Uses of Sugar for fattening Cattle. 289. 



plants which yield sugar at a certain period of their growth, 

 only contain mucilage at an earlier period. This is the case 

 with several of our wall-fruits. In the operation of malting, 

 the mucilage of the barley absorbs oxygen, and is converted 

 into sugar. No chemical means, however, have yet been 

 discovered of effecting the same purpose. We can, as you 

 have seen, readily convert sugar into mucilage, but have not 

 yet acquired the means of regenerating sugar from the same 

 mucilage. This circumstance is in favour of adopting this 

 method for the deterioration of sugar, if it should be found 

 to agree with the cattle, 



*' Having moistened 112 grains of sugar with water, two 

 drops of a solution of sulphate of iron, and two drops of 

 tincture of galls were mixed with the mass ; by exposure to 

 the air this sugar became quite black, and tasted, of iroa 

 very strongly. It would cost 15. per cwt. to blacken sugar 

 in this way ; but as oak bark or anv other substance ihat 

 contains the gallic acid might be employed instead of galls, 

 jt could be done in quantities at less expense, and I know 

 of no cheap method by w'hich sugar thus treated could be 

 rendered aoain fit for sale or common use. Indeed, if the 

 gallic acid were separated from the gallate of iron by means 

 of potash, the sugar might then be fermented and fraudu- 

 lently used for the still : but this could not be expected to 

 succeed, unless it were done by an experienced chemist, for 

 an excess of potash would render the sugar incapable of fer- 

 mentation. And even if the mixture were submitted to 

 distillation, it is probable that part of the iron would come 

 over in the process, and contaminate the spirit. 



** One hundred and twelve grains of sugar were mixed 

 with ten grains by weight of oil of vitriol, previously diluted 

 with a little water. This rendered the mixture so sour, that it 

 would be impossible to use such sugar for common purposes. 

 The oil of vitriol also blackens it considerably. It would 

 cost 3s. or 3s. 6d. per cwt. to treat sugar in this way, but a 

 less quantity of oil of vitriol might be sufficient, and when 

 mixed with a large portion of other food, I think the acid 

 would not be disagreeable to cattle, 



*< No experiment was n)ade with nitrous acid, because 

 Vo). 31. No. 124. Sept. 1808. T the 



