142 Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal. { April, 1906 
the fact that caking sheds are never free from rice, Perhaps the 
best remedy is to have two or three caking sheds at considerable 
-distances from one another and to use them alternately. 
(v) The proportion of water added is 20 gallons for every 
‘82 Ibs. of malted and unmalted rice, 7.e., about 23 parts of water to 
-one of rice. The researches of Dr. Charles Graham show how tem- 
perature, relative proportion of water to malt, of malted and un- 
malted grain, and time of mashing influence the composition of 
resulting wort. The results obtained by him may not be true 
view to find the best proportion of water to rice can be made only 
at a distillery. 
vi) Spent wash is at present thrown away and sometimes 
left in tanks for use as food for cattle. If there is much dextrin 
iron or copper. 
(vii) The primitive form of fireplace in distilleries occasions 
much waste of fuel, The simple expedient of a grating will consi- 
derably prevent this waste, and the waste heat of one fireplace 
may be utilised to boil wort of an adjacent still producing richer 
spirit at less cost, or to redistill weak spirit to make it strong. 
(viii) As Bakhar is the ferment used, it is necessary to 
ascertain its quality before use. Sometimes caking is defective on 
account of bad Baékhar. When such is the case the distillers throw 
@ quantity of Bikhar into their fermenting vats. This introduces 
ucor spores and remedies the evil to a certain extent, but the 
outturn of spirit is always below the normal, since bad malting 
cann¢ in this way. From appearance experienced distil- 
lers judge of the quality of Békhar, but sometimes they make mis- 
takes which cannot be found out until too late. It is, therefore, 
desirable to test the fermenting quality of every fresh batch of 
Békhar pills. For this bits of the Baékhar may be pow 
mixed with small quantities of boiled rice, From growth of the 
fungus the quality of the Bukhar may be easily judged. Or the 
powdered Bakhar may be kept moist with water for a day or two 
and then examined under a microscope. There will be enough 
Mucor spores and hyphz seen from which the proportion of the 
ferment spores may be judged. For this alow power microscope 
will suffice. 
While concluding this paper I have great pleasure in acknow- 
ledging my indebtedness to Me. C. C. Mitra, Tigsins Deputy Collec- 
tor, and to Mr, A. N. Sen, Superintendent of the Central Distillery, 
Cuttack, for kindly supplying me with materials used in ferment- 
ing rice, and with much valuable information, ! 
‘ wales 
| Most of the experiments described in thi ied out in 
rf escribed in this r were carried out! 
1904. A few relating to Mucor-Torule were done teats ae 
