304 



Beer, Scientifically and Socially Considered. [July, 



coloured matter discharged is seen to consist of excessively minute, 

 somewhat spherical, particles of an oily nature, that move freely and 



Fig. 4. 



Fig. 6. 



Fig. 5. 



with great rapidity amongst each other with a tremulous motion. 

 This peculiar motion may at times be observed in the contents of the 

 granules before they are broken." * * * "A common practice 

 amongst hop-buyers is to take a small quantity of the dried hoj> 

 fruit, place it in the palm of one hand, and with three or four 

 knuckles of the other, to chafe and bruise it. The value of the 

 sample is judged of by the aroma it emits and the sticky almost 

 resinous stains left upon the hand. This is a rough but effective 

 way of judging both of the number and produce of the lupulite 

 granules by crushing them. Good sound hops will yield about 

 one-sixth part of their weight of these grains. Analyzed by the 

 chemist they are found to contain, besides a volatile oil, no fewer 

 than thirteen substances, more or less in combination with each 

 other. But it would appear that to the volatile oil, soluble in water 

 and alcohol, and the bitter principle, Iwpulite, the most valuable 

 properties of the fruit are due." 



I have made this somewhat lengthy extract from Mr. Prescott's 

 book for a twofold reason ; first, because it conveys in brief and clear 

 terms all that is interesting to us, in this portion of the subject, and 

 secondly, because I consider that his powers of observation and his 

 practical researches deserve to be prominently noticed. In another 

 part of his book he tells us that he examined the spent hops of 

 breweries and found that not more than one-half their lupuliie is 

 made available, a circumstance which shows how necessary it is to 

 call into requisition, more largely, the services of scientific men, even 

 in our most commonplace manufacturing processes. 



