Specimen Page of " The International Sugar Journal" 



642 



amounts were found to vary but little. For the moisture determination, 

 an amount of bagasse equal to 50 or 100 grms. before chopping (i.e., 

 48 or 96 grms. respectively if the loss has been 4 per cent, during 

 chopping) is weighed out on a shallow tray (f in. deep), and heated in 

 an air-bath for 3 hours at 125 0. At the end of this time the tray is 

 weighed quickly, and the moisture calculated from the difference 

 between the two weighings. For the sugar determination an amount 

 equal to 100 grms. of the original bagasse (i.e. 96 grms. for a 4 per 

 cent, loss during chopping) is weighed out into the inner digestion 

 cup (B), which is 4^ in. high and 4^ in. in diam., of the apparatus, 

 resembling a "double-cooker," which is illustrated in the figure; 

 500 c.c. of hot water containing 5 c.c. of a 5 per cent, solution of 

 sodium carbonate are added, the bagasse pressed down into the liquid 

 by means of the perforated disc of metal (C) provided with a handle, 

 and this inner vessel placed in the outer one (A) containing boiling 

 water. Digestion is continued for an hour, the bagasse being mixed 

 every 5 minutes by pressing it down with the disc, which is used as a 

 cover between times. At the end of this time the liquid is allowed 

 to cool a little, then the weight of bagasse plus solution taken, the 



liquid filtered through cheese-cloth, 

 arid cooled to laboratory temperature ; 

 99 c.c. are then placed in a 100 c.c. 

 flask, made up to the 100 c.c. mark 

 with basic lead acetate solution, filtered 

 and polarized in a 400 mm. tube. An 

 alternative method, obviating the use 

 of the " double- cooker," is to weigh 

 out the equivalent of 50 grms. into a 

 quart pot provided with a cover, add 

 500 c.c. of water containing 2 c.c. 

 of a 5 per cent, solution of sodium 

 carbonate, boil gently for an hour, 

 stirring every 15 minutes, then proceed as just described above. The 

 polarization of the sample may finally be read from a table given in 

 this bulletin, or it may be calculated, whichever procedure has been 



used, from the following formula : , in which R is the 



2X3-8X100 



polarimetric reading observed in a 400 mm. tube ; W the weight of 

 bagasse plus solution corresponding to 100 grms. of bagasse; and f 

 the fibre content of the bagasse, taken for Hawaiian bagasse as 50. 

 It is stated that this aqueous digestion method continued for an hour 

 gives results agreeing well with those obtainable by the alcoholic 

 extraction method lasting 1^ to 2 hours. Contrary to Priusen 

 Geerligs' experience with Javan bagasse (this JL, 1909, 156), the 

 author finds no dextro-rotatory non-sugar body extracted or formed 

 during the digestion of Hawaiian bagasse. 



