78 MAPLE-SAP SIRUP. 



There were 141 samples of Ohio sirup collected -and of these 25 

 per cent had from 1 to 1.09 per cent of ash, 20 per cent from 1.10 to 

 1.19, and 13.5 per cent had from 0.90 to 0.94 per cent of ash. The ash 

 content was very high in these samples, both considering the indi- 

 vidual samples and the averages, two samples falling in the maximum 

 classes ranging from 1.5 to 1.7, Michigan and Indiana, especially 

 the latter, being the only other States of which this is true. Of the 

 Pennsylvania samples nearly one-fourth contained from 0.90 to 

 0.94 per cent of ash, and almost an equal number contained from 1 

 to 1.09 per cent; 18 per cent had from 1.10 to 1.19 per cent of ash, 

 and 14.5 per cent from 0.95 to 0.99. Twenty-two per cent of the 

 50 Vermont samples had between 0.80 and 0.84 per cent of ash, while 

 36 per cent were equally divided between the next two classes ranging 

 from 0.85 to 0.94. Sixteen per cent contained from 1 to 1.09 per 

 cent of ash and 10 per cent from 0.95 to 0.99. The Canada samples 

 showed very much the same distribution as those from Vermont. 

 Of the 86 samples about 37 per cent were divided between two 

 classes i. e., 0.80 to 0.84 and 0.90 to 0.94, about 12 per cent falling 

 in the intermediate grade and 13 per cent in the succeeding one. 

 Sixteen per cent of the Canada samples contained from 1 to 1.09 per 

 cent of ash, exactly the same proportion as in the case of Vermont, 

 and about .12 per cent contained from 1.10 to 1.19. The three West 

 Virginia samples were high in ash, ranging from 1.10 to 1.39. Con- 

 sidering the total number of 481 samples, it is seen that about one- 

 fifth of them contain from 1 to 1.09 per. cent of ash, this constituting 

 the largest class, though almost 18 per cent contain from 0.90 to 0.94; 

 12 per cent are found in each of the two classes ranging from 0.95 to 

 0.99 and from 1.10 to 1.19, and 22 per cent are equally divided 

 between the two classes ranging from 0.80 to 0.89. 



If it be required that a maple sirup contain not more than 35 per 

 cent of water and not less than 0.50 per cent of ash, figured to the 

 dry basis, the minimum per cent of ash is 0.77. With the exception of 

 the one sample from New Hampshire, which had 0.68 per cent of ash, 

 the lowest per cent found reaches this figure, namely, 0.77, and only 

 18 out of 481 samples fall in the class ranging from 0.77 to 0.79 per 

 cent. Granting that a standard commercial sirup weighs 11 pounds 

 to a gallon, Jones's statement a that the total ash is never less than 

 0.50 per cent seems to be borne out in this investigation. The ash 

 figured to dry substance under such a condition would be 0.77 per 

 cent. Out of the 481 samples analyzed only 1 is below this figure 

 and but 18 samples, or 3.7 per cent, are between 0.77 and 0.80 per 

 cent of ash. It seems fair, therefore, to consider a sirup with less 

 than 0.77 per cent of ash as adulterated if the other determinations 



a Eighteenth Ann. Report Vermont Agr. Exper. Stat., 1904-5, p. 330. 



