532 SORGHUM. 



The experiments of 1879 doubtless explain some of the results of the 

 previous year ; since it is probably true that, owing to the immaturity, 

 the tops had not yet attained their maximum content of sugar. A 

 study of the previous tables giving results of the analysis of sorghums 

 shows that up to a certain period the lowerhalf of the cane is the best, 

 but that this does not remain true of the sorghum, as it does of the 

 sugar-cane in Louisiana, since the sorghum does have time to com- 

 pletely mature, which is not so wifh the sugar-cane in our country. 



In the following table there have been calculated from the results 

 given of the experiments in the making of sugar the following : 



1st. The percentages of the sugar present in the juices operated 

 upon, which were obtained in the syrup. 



2nd. The percentage of crystallizable sugar (sucrose) present in 

 the juices, which was obtained in the syrup. 



3rd. The percentage of uncrystallizable sugar (glucose) present in 

 the juices, Avhich was obtained in the syrup. 



4th. The percentage of crystallizable sugar present in the juices, 

 which was inverted by the process of manufacture. 



5tli. The percentage of uncrystallizable sugar (glucose) destroyed 

 during the process of manufacture. 



The presence of the same relative proporti(ms of crystallizable and 

 uncrystallizable sugar in a syrup to those present in the juice from 

 ■which this syrup has been prepared, by no means implies that there 

 has been no inversiim of the crystallizable sugar ; for the destructive 

 action of an excess of lime upon glucose is well known, and is not 

 unfrequently made avadable m the production of sugar. Hence, it 

 often happens that the relative quantity of crystallizable sugar in the 

 syrup may be greatly in excess of that present in the juice, even after 

 a large quantity of the crystallizable sugar has been destroyed by in- 

 version. It is only possible, then, to determine the character of the 

 changes which have taken place in the sugars during the process of 

 manufticture, by quantitatively detetermiuing the amounts of sucrose 

 and glucose in the juices and in the syrups prepared from them. 



Since, obviously, this is a question of the greatest practical im- 

 portance, as bearing upon the profitableness of the production of su- 

 gar from corn stalks or sorghum, the tables following will be studied 

 with interest. 



As in the previous table, there is a constant but not uniform dis- 

 crepancy between the jDolarization of the syrups and the amount of 

 crystallizable sugar found present by analysis. 



Almost invariably the amount of sucrose found is somewhat in ex- 



