54 PROVISIONAL METHODS FOR ANALYSIS OF FOODS. 



Precipitate lead with potassium chromate in an acetic acid solution; and weigh 

 upon a tared filter as lead chromate. 



Evaporate the nitrate from the hydrogen sulphid precipitate to about 60 cc; add 

 bromin water to oxidize the iron salts, and any remaining hydrogen sulphid. 

 Boil off the excess of bromin and, unless the solution is distinctly yellow, add a few 

 drops of concentrated solution of ferric chlorid to make it so. Nearly neutralize the 

 mineral acid with ammonia, and add ammonium acetate to precipitate iron phosphate 

 and excess of iron. Filter and thoroughly wash the precipitate. To the filtrate, 

 made distinctly acid with acetic acid and boiled, add hydrogen sulphid to precipi- 

 tate zinc. Unless the zinc sulphid comes down white, it should be dissolved, again 

 treated with ammonium acetate to remove traces of iron, and re-precipitated as sul- 

 phid. Finally collect the zinc sulphid upon an ashless filter, ignite and weigh as 

 zinc oxid. 



11. "SOAKED" VEGETABLES. 



A class of canned vegetables commercially known as " soaked" goods is now very 

 commonly founcl upon the market, and constitutes the cheapest grade of vegetables 

 sold. So far as the writer's experience goes, only peas, beans, and corn, or combina- 

 tions of these three, are found in this class. The material used for ''soaked" prod- 

 ucts are the ordinary matured peas and beans, such as are used for seed, or are sold 

 dried upon the market, and corn that has passed the stage when it can be supplied 

 for the green market. The particular advantage in canning these goods is that the 

 season for green vegetables passes rapidly, and in case the supply is greater than the 

 canneries can handle, recourse is made to the packing of the matured product. 

 Besides, these dried materials may be kept for some time, and thus serve to keep 

 the canneries in operation during the less busy season. 



So far as the composition of this class of canned vegetables is concerned, it prob- 

 ably varies but little from that of the younger vegetables, yet it does not possess the 

 value as a relish that the former has. In the mature vegetables the percentage of total 

 solids is much higher than in the young and more succulent vegetables, and this 

 condition holds in the canned goods if only the solid contents of the can are con- 

 sidered. However, in a large number of samples of "soaked" goods examined, the 

 proportion of liquid to solid portion was exceedingly high; so that when the entire 

 contents of the can were taken the per cent of total solids was about normal for the 

 green vegetables. 



The detection of "soaked" vegetables is not a difficult matter for one who has 

 had experience with this class of goods, but for a layman the task may not be so 

 easy. As stated above, the high percentage of solids in the solid portion of the can is 

 characteristic. Soaked peas and beans lose much, if not all, of their green color, and 

 have the general appearance of the well-matured product. Their cotyledons are 

 well formed, firm and mealy. With the pea the caulicle is particularly prominent, 

 the process of soaking having been sufficient to start its development. With corn, 

 the kernel is plump and hard and lacking in milky consistency. The succulence so 

 characteristic of the green pea, bean, and corn is entirely lacking. The sense of 

 taste may also be applied in the detection of this class of goods. From their nature 

 it is difficult to apply specific tests, but a little practice will enable the analyst to 

 detect them with reasonable certainty. 



VIII. COCOA AND ITS PREPARATIONS. 



By F. T. HARRISON, 



District Analyst, London, Ontario. 



It has been found impossible to prepare the report on this subject this year. The 

 heading is inserted here to preserve its proper order. 



