ANALYTICAL WORK AT FORT SCOTT, SEASON OF 1887. 



lu the agreement made by the Commissioner of Agriculture with the 

 Parkinson Sugar Company for conducting the experiments in the manu- 

 facture of sugar from sorghum during the season of 1887, provision 

 was made for a complete chemical control of the work by the Chemical 

 Division of this Department. Having been directed by the Commis- 

 sioner of Agriculture to take charge of all the chemical work to be done 

 at the three sugar stations, Dr. C. A. Crampton and Mr. N. J. Fake 

 were directed to perform the analytical work at Fort Scott. 



The following general directions were sent for conducting the work: 



U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, CHEMICAL DIVISION, 



Washington, D. C., August 29, 1887. 



DEAR SIR : In conducting the analytical work at Fort Scott during the present 

 season, you will be guided by the following general directions : 



(1) Samples of cane from the wagon or cane-carrier are to be taken from time to 

 time as last year, representing as nearly as possible the best, poorest, and medium 

 canes which are brought to the factory. 



(2) When the diffusion battery is in operation, a given weight of chips is to be 

 taken from each of the cells until one complete round of the battery is represented. 



These samples are to be preserved in a closed vessel until all are taken and then 

 passed through a small mill and the expressed juice examined in the usual way. 



(3) A measured sample of the juice discharged from each cell of the diffusion 

 battery should be taken until one complete round has been made. These mixed 

 samples of juice to be examined in the usual way. 



(4) Samples of the juice above examined should be taken after the process of 

 clarification, representing as nearly as possible the same body of juice as above, and 

 examined in the usual way. 



(5) After concentration to sirup, a sample should be taken, representing as nearly 

 as possible the juice of the above two numbers and subjected to analysis. 



(6) Samples of the masse cuile, sugar and molasses are to be taken, carefully labeled* 

 and forwarded to the division hero for examination. 



(7) When the large mill is running, samples of the mixed juices should bo taken 

 as often as convenient and subjected to examination. 



(8) The bagasse from the largo mill should bo examined from time to time, either 

 by exhaustion with successive portions of water in an open vessel, or by exhaustion 

 in a closed flask, a little freshly precipitated carbonate of lime being added to the 

 water of maceration. 



(9) Take from each cell of discharged chips a certain quantity representing as 

 nearly as possible the moan character of the chips discharged from that cell after one 

 complete circuit of the battery has been ma'le, pass the samples so obtained through 

 the small mill, and subject the expressed juices to examination. 



Concerning the details of the analytical work, little need be said. Double polari- 

 zation is not necessary except in cases where the canes may be badly injured, and you 



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