90 



MAPLE-SAP SIRUP. 



Lead number determinations. 

 BASIC LEAD NUMBER. 



NEUTRAL LEAD NUMBER. 



a Basic lead number 1.76. 



In the total column, it is seen that 78 per cent of the samples have 

 a basic lead number between 2 and 3.25. One sample from Maine, 

 No. 6693, has a lead number of only 1.76, which is fully 0.1 lower 

 than any of the other figures, the next lowest being one sample with 

 a lead number of 1.85, and a few with a number of 1.86. The Maine 

 sample is therefore very abnormal, and in judging of the purity of a 

 maple sirup 1.85 and not 1.76 should be the minimum basic lead 

 number. The lead numbers of some of the States for example, 

 Maine, Massachusetts, and New York cover a comparatively 

 narrow range, while others, especially Indiana, Ohio, and Pennsylva- 

 nia, vary from 1.85 to 4.50. The lead numbers of the Canadian sam- 

 ples correspond closely with those of Vermont and their general 

 average is lower than that of the samples from the central portion of 

 the United States. 



Of the neutral lead acetate numbers, 87 per cent fall between 0.4 

 and 1.19, only 9 samples having lead number below 0.3 and 28 below 

 0.4. Here, again, the lowest figure (0.13) is far below any of the 

 others, and can hardly be considered as a normal minimum in judg- 

 ing of the purity of a sirup. 



