SUGAR, MOLASSES, CONFECTIONS, AND HONEY. 713 



in taste, according to the nature of the tree. I have discovered that the hickory tree 

 will produce the flavor of the maple, and I therefore claim as my invention the use 

 of the hickory extract wherever it may he employed to impart an agreeable flavor. 



Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by letters 

 patent, is 



1. The method herein described of flavoring saccharine matter, including sirup and 

 sugar, which consists in treating or impregnating the same with the principle or 

 extract of hickory, as specified. 



2. An improved sirup or sugar, consisting of any suitable saccharine matter fla- 

 vored with an extract of hickory, substantially as described. 



JOSIAH DAILY. 

 Witnesses : 



A. G. LYNE, 

 SOLOX C. KEMON. 



Bleaching agents. There is a public demand which requires molasses 

 and sirups exposed for sale to be of a light color. This bleaching is 

 accomplished by the use of bone-black, or other agents, which will 

 oxidize and destroy the coloring matters. Among such agents may be 

 mentioned ozone, peroxide of hydrogen, sulphurous acid, metallic sul- 

 phites, and sulphuric acid, and other similar agents. The various pro- 

 cesses which are offered the public for bleaching purposes, and which 

 are held to be of secret composition, depend for their efficiency on some 

 of the chemicals mentioned above. 



From the information which has been received, it is fair to presume 

 that a great deal of the dark centrifugal molasses of Louisiana is sub- 

 jected to bleaching before mixing or placing on the market. This is 

 well set forth in the letter from Dr. Stubbs, page 640. 



In a letter from a large dealer in molasses in Boston, dated March 

 14, 1892, occurs the following : 



We find it very hard work to sell our pure molasses in competition with the stuff 

 that is shipped here by the New Orleans bleachers. The bleaching business is now 

 being tried by parties in New York on foreign molasses. I can readily detect the 

 bleached from the unbleached molasses by the taste; and always after tasting the 

 bleached goods I find the roof of my mouth will begin to peel. 



It is claimed by the bleachers that even if the agent used is delete- 

 rious to health, it is employed in such small quantities as to be practi- 

 cally harmless. Nevertheless such additions should be prohibited. 

 We did not succeed in getting samples of the bleaching agents for 

 analysis. The secret of their preparation and the method of their use 

 are carefully guarded by the makers and users. Following is a list of 

 the bleaching agents supposed to be most commonly used : 



(1) Sulphur fumes 5 (2) chloride of tin, about 1 ounce of a saturated 

 solution to each barrel of molasses ; (3) sulphites and sulphuric acid ; 

 (4) sulphite of soda and zinc dust, afterwards oxalic acid to precipitate 

 the zinc. 



NOTES ON THE SEVERAL ANALYSES. 

 ANALYSES BY MR. HUSTON. 



In the analysis of No. 54, labeled " Pure Vermont Maple Sirup," 

 there is one remarkable fact, viz, that tin is present. The analysis shows 



