142 



EXPERIMEXT STATION. 



[Jan. 



riiie was made in the filtrate after the usual method, by titration 

 with standard silver nitrate solution, blank determinations being 

 made in every case. The following table gives the chlorine 

 content of several products, calculated as hydrochloric acid : - — • 



A, sample of corn gluten prepared by writer, without steep water. 



B, sample of gluten feed from factory, witliout color and steep water. 



C, sample of gluten feed from factory, without color plus steep water. 

 462, sample of gluten feed from collection, with color and steep water. 



Samples A and B show an average chlorine content of .03 per 

 cent, calculated as hydrochloric acid, which represents a normal 

 chloride content of a gluten without steep water. By comparing 

 this with sample C it will be noted that the percentage of chlo- 

 rides is somewhat increased by the addition of the steej) water. 

 This is not surprising when the fact is considered that the steep 

 water carries with it a relatively high per cent, of the soluble 

 constituents of the corn, and that it is concentrated before being 

 added to the feed. It is evident, however, that the amount of 

 chlorine calculated as hydrochloric acid, as found in the watery 

 extract, is very small when compared with the percentage of total 

 acidity. In the case of sample 462 it equals .09 per cent., as 

 compared with .90 per cent, of total acidity. Furthermore, this 

 is on the assumption that all the water-soluble chlorides in the 

 feed are in the form of free hydrochloric acid, which is not 

 probable for — 



1. Any free hydrochloric acid would be readily neutralized by 

 the addition of soda or lime and appear as a salt. 



2. AVatery solutions of gluten feed, when evaporated to dry- 

 ness and again taken up with distilled water, show no loss in 

 acidity. 



3. On distillation no free hydrochloric acid could be detected. 



4. Free hydrochloric acid or other mineral acids, if present 

 even in quite small amounts, would give an acid reaction with 

 methyl orange. (See Indicators.) 



