1921 The Bighth Indian Science Congress. CXXVIi 
eeds are coated with a peeeinaes a Pr Ge which on acid 
hydrolysis yields glucose and galactose and s 
s also a bitter th hy of an pe iy Hein contained in 
the in 
2. The seeds are found to carry bacteria which are wg to rac 
the mucilage with evolution of hydrogen. This hydrogen in the 
reduces the indigo. The mucilage has the further property” of srtny i 
prunena with the indigo, thus holding it in suspension and facilitating its 
re ot 
he bitter antiseptic principle appears to price a aa action 
so that only a ed hint of heaguriaetacl eras ont 
The bacte will grow on mediu ti e. ni but 
ro rater of nitvGaud such a growth will an ‘ception! a startle pp of 
the seeds. 
. A number of experiments with pure cultures were tried using 
along with finely suspended indigo, seed decoction, potato, glucose and 
nium phosphate, also elacose and ammonium arsed together 
pt 
i assistance of Dr. Marsden, small dye vats were made 
up and worked under normal conditions except that in one a pure 
culture s used and conditions maintained as free from extraneous 
infection as possible. Little if any advantage, however over 
mon sed, owing doubtless to the selective action 
the antiseptic substance occurring on t s. n- 
ts indigenous dye vat sent Pacino Madura showed ed little 
difference in oo an content from a ially inoculated laboratory va 
t. 
e changes taking sais ace in the vat showed however the 
necessity for peat viding nitrogenous food for the ee as in its absence 
the indigo is attacked and considerable loss may take plac 
Experiments on the utilisation of erg —By GILBERT 
J. FowLer and BHotanatH Ban 
t present ‘‘ megasse,” the resid ual rae e of sugarcane ~ 
after r expression of the juice, is chiefly utilised as wet It contains som 
amo expressed a as well as ores iydiolyesble to uaa, 
prersea wa we 2 istant fibre 
The experiments, the results of which are geo metre in the follow 
ing abstract, were pens with the object of obtaining power dicobe! 
pas the sugar and saccharifiable matter and fibre oaths for paper 
eae 
ry ceaeianiete showed that dilute sulphuric acid was o 
better hydrolvsing agent than either dilute sulphurous acid or sodiu 
bisulphi oe. Owi - toils corrosive action carr acid could not ie 
employed satisfactorily in the apparat 
p 
e general method followed was 
snirthuionas container placed inside ters ordinary ¢ 
pane 
to heat ger material in a lead or 
opper or iron auto- 
mong the different factors conditioning hydrolysis the following 
Pati been studied :— 
(a) Variation . pressure and spices temperature from 
20 Ib. to 65 lb. per i: inch. 
(6) Variation ee time of cooking from zero minutes to 5 
(c) Variation of the time of preliminary heating up to the neces- 
sary temperature from | to 3 
(d) Concentration and percentage of the he hydiclysing acid. 
