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SUGAR FROM STARCH. 
7 " ' , 
The Interesting experiments of M. Kirchoff, of St. Peters* 
burgh, proving that starch may be converted into sugar by the 
action of diluted sulphuric acid, have been eagerly repeated by the 
most distinguished chemical philosophers in Europe. This sin- 
gular conversion is produced by boiling 100 parts of starch with 
400 of water, and from two to eight parts of strong sulphuric acid, 
In an unglazed earthen vessel, for a period of from 24 to 36 hours, 
constantly stirring the mixture during the first hour, (after which 
it becomes more fluid) and carefully maintaining the original quan- 
tity of water by adding more as it is wasted. Upon growing cold 
the mixture must be neutralized with chalk, and clarified by 
charcoal ; filtrated through flannel, and evaporated to the consis- 
tence of oil. It must then be again cooled, in order to remove 
its sulphate of lime, and the clear liquor, if further gently evapo- 
rated, will yield about 100 parts of gummy syrup of the specific 
gravity of 1,295, easily susceptible of vinous fermentation, and 
when separated from the gum, which in general forms no less 
than a fifth part of it, capable of being crystallized, and applied to 
all the common purposes of native sugar. With the rationale of 
this very important transmutation we are not yet acquainted. It 
is plain, however, that the acid still exists undecomposed, and 
there is reason to believe that the quantity of water is increased. 
The probability therefore is, that the agency of the acid is exerted 
in abstracting from the starch a part of its hydrogen and oxygen, 
in the proportions requisite to form the excess of water, and in 
thus enabling its remaining principles to be in such a way ar* 
ranged as to induce the extraordinary change effected. 
^ 
COOKERY. 
TO THE EDITOR OF THE EMPORIUM. 
My good Friend, 
YOU are about publishing a periodical work, which to please 
the class of readers likely to purchase it, must be, in great part, 
not so much an instructive, as entertaining compilation. It must 
be light, superficial, miscellaneous, desultory, full of well executed 
