DISCUSSION OF CHEMICAL DATA. 



77 



TOTAL ASH. 



The figures for ash after calculation to a dry basis show an average 

 for the United States samples of 1.02 with extremes of 1.68 and 0.68 

 per cent. On the whole number of samples, the average is 1 per cent 

 and the extremes remain unchanged. Grouping the figures for 

 ash by States and by 0.05 and 0.1 per cent differences the following 

 results are obtained : 



Total ash content of sirups (dry basis), grouped by States. 



a 0.68 per cent ash. 



In Indiana about 30 per cent of the 23 samples collected had 

 between 1 and 1.09 per cent of ash, the next largest class being 17 

 per cent with between 1.2 and 1.29 per cent of ash. One-third of 

 the 9 Maine samples also fell in the latter class. In the case of 

 Massachusetts 80 per cent of the samples were equally divided 

 between the four classes between 0.80 and 0.99 per cent, the remaining 

 samples being equally divided between the two classes ranging from 

 1.1 to 1.29. Of the 23 Michigan samples nearly 22 per cent had 

 from 1 to 1.09 per cent of ash and 17 per cent were found in each of 

 the following classes: 0.80 to 0.84, 0.90 to 0.94, and 0.95 to 0.99. 

 Fifteen New Hampshire samples were examined, of which about 27 

 per cent had from 0.90 to 0.94 and an equal number from 1 per cent 

 to 1.09. The comparison of the samples from New York, Ohio, 

 Pennsylvania, Canada, and Vermont is of still more interest, as these 

 represent the regions producing the largest amounts of sirup and 

 more samples were taken. Of the 66 New York samples 45 per cent 

 were equally divided between the two classes between 0.85 and 0.94 

 and an additional 27 per cent of the number are equally divided 

 between 0.95 to 0.99 and 1 to 1.09 per cent ash content. 



