314 



DATE SUGAR INDUSTRY IN BENGAL. 



unfermented juices are quite strongly alkaline to litmus and to 

 methyl-orange. A juice tested at Pusa which was still alkaline to 

 litmus and methyl-orange was found to be acid to phenolphtalein, 

 but this was the only juice which we had an opportunity of 

 examining with phenolphtalein. 



Fresh juices always give a small amount of effervescence on 

 adding acid to them. 



Some juices were titrated with sulphuric acid using litmus as 

 indicator. 



The following amounts of alkalinity reckoned as gms. 

 Na 2 C0 3 per 100 c.c. of juice were obtained. 



Tree in compound . . 



No. 20 



,,,,o 

 Average sample for daily boiling. . 



0-092 

 0-025 

 0-05 

 0-012 



It seemed probable that the alkalinity of the juices was due 

 to alkaline carbonates. 



At Pusa some determinations of free and combined C0 2 in two 

 date juices which were still alkaline were carried out gravimetrically, 

 50 c.c. of the juice was first boiled and C0 2 evolved collected in weigh- 

 ed soda lime tubes. Dilute hydrochloric acid was then added and 

 any liberated C(X was collected in weighed soda lime tubes, the 

 liquid being boiled towards the end of the process. 



The figures below show the amount of (a) free and (6) combined 

 COj present in the juices expressed as grams Na 2 C0 3 per 100 grams 

 of juice. 



Juice A 

 D 



These amounts are quite sufficient to account for the marked 

 alkalinity of the juice. At the same time it must be remembered 



