52 EXPERIMENT STATION. [Jan. 



aud given certificates to oi3erate Babcock machines, and 4,047 

 pieces of Babcock glassware have been tested for accuracy of 

 graduation, of which 41, or 1.01 per cent., were inaccurate. 



3. Laboratory Work of the Research Section. 



Messrs. Holland and Reed have continued work on the prep- 

 aration of chemically pure insoluble fatty acids, and on the 

 perfecting of methods for their quantitative determination. In- 

 vestigations have also been continued relative to the cause of 

 rancidity of fats, and upon the composition and preparation of 

 chemically pure insecticides, particularly Paris green, arse- 

 nates of lead and arsenite of lime. Papers entitled " The 

 Purification of Insoluble Fatty Acids " and " The Determina- 

 tion of Arsenic in Insecticides " are presented elsewhere in 

 this report, and likewise in the " Journal of Industrial and 

 Engineering Chemistry." 



Mr. Morse has devoted his time to studying the effect of fer- 

 tility on the chemical composition of asparagus roots, and pre- 

 sents a preliminary paper in this report and in the " Journal 

 of the American Chemical Society " entitled " Soluble Carbo- 

 hydrates of Asparagus Roots." Chemical analyses showed 

 clearly that there was a marked increase in the total nitrogen in 

 the roots, produced by the addition to the soil of different 

 amounts of nitrate of soda. Low applications of nitrate gave 

 an increase, medium still more, but high applications did not 

 appear to be more effective than medium ones. 



The carbohydrates in the reserve material of the roots con- 

 sisted mainly of a soluble sugar, made up of fructose and glu- 

 cose, the former decidedly in excess. Nitrogenous fertilizers 

 apparently had no direct effect on the carbohydrates. In gen- 

 eral the increase in protein accompanied a lower proportion of 

 total carbohydrates, including fiber. Seventy-six samples of 

 roots were gathered in iS^ovember to repeat the nitrogen series 

 and to extend the investigations to the effect of phosphorus and 

 potassium. 



Mr. Morse has also done some preliminary Avork in studying 

 the character of the drainage waters from miniature cranberry 

 bogs constructed under the direction of Director Brooks. 



