54 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 



Describe and give directions for using the Irish 

 moisture test. 



A representative logram sample of butter is ob- 

 tained and placed in a small metal cup, then held 

 over an alcohol flame with a pair of special forceps 

 until all moisture has evaporated from it. While 

 the butter is heating it foams considerably. As 

 soon as the foaming has ceased, and before the fat 

 begins to char, a small mirror is held over the cup 

 to show if any moisture still remains. When the 

 sample is thus freed from moisture it is cooled to 

 room temperature and reweighed upon a special 

 scale by which the difference between the weights 

 of the butter before and after heating is indicated 

 in the form of moisture percentage by the use of 

 small percentage weights. 



Describe and give directions for using Gray's 

 moisture test. 



This test consists of a scale, a glass flask, a gradu- 

 ated glass tube, a condenser, an amyl reagent, and 

 an alcohol lamp. 



A representative lo-gram sample of butter is 

 placed in the glass flask. To this 6 c. c. of amyl 

 reagent is added and the dififerent parts of the test 

 then connected for use. The butter and amyl mix- 

 ture is heated over a flame and the moisture is 

 driven off into a graduated tube in the form of 

 steam, where it condenses upon coming in con- 

 tact with the condenser, which contains cold water. 

 The moisture collects in the graduated tube and 

 can be read in the form of percentage. The heat- 

 ing is stopped as soon as the mixture in the flask 

 becomes brown and the crackling noise ceases. 



