88 TiMEHRI. 



about the time when the '' low wines is cut," when there 

 is a sudden rise of colour, the dull purple predominating. 

 The white rum itself can be tested in this way, and fair 

 comparative results obtained. 



Standard colours made from strong solutions of 

 chlorides of iron, copper and cobalt, will serve for yellow, 

 blue and red. The quantity of each taken to colour a 

 quantity of water, the same volume as the mixture of 

 alcohol and sulphuric acid, is recorded. The only diffi- 

 culty is in the use of the standard colours, and that I 

 hope will be overcome by the use of Lovibond's tinto- 

 meter. This instrument is divided into two parts, in 

 one of which coloured glasses are put one after the 

 other, till the same colour is obtained as the sample 

 being tested, which is in the other. Both are viewed 

 through one eye-piece so that no defe6ls in the optical 

 powers of the observer can influence the reading. 

 The glasses have certain values which can be transmitted 

 to paper direftly, and thus the exa6l colour produced in 

 the rum can be recorded at once. 



The uses of this instrument to persons employed on a 

 sugar estate are many. In the manufa6lure of yellow 

 sugar it could be used for examining syrups and sugars, 

 and in colouring rum, it would be invaluable. 



The testing of rums which are already coloured, with 

 sulphuric, of course cannot be done. It becomes first 

 necessary to distil it from the colours. This should be 

 done rapidly without the addition of any alkali, till all has 

 passed over that can, without burning, the first-third and 

 second-third being caught separate from the last. Halve 

 each ofthe thirds, and mix them, this will representtherum ; 

 and test the other portions separately. These separate 



