371 
of simple alimentary substances, &c. 
moisture that usually adheres to it by exposure for some time 
to a temperature of 21 2°, was found to be composed of 
Carbon - - - 42*85 
Water - - - 57*15 
Now, all the finest and purest specimens of loaf sugar of 
commerce that I have yet examined, give, when similarly 
treated, precisely the same results. They may therefore be 
considered as identical in their composition with sugar candy.* 
Cane sugar appears to undergo no change whatever at the 
temperature of boiling water ; but at about 300° it begins to 
melt, and assume the form of a dark brown liquid. In one 
experiment, after exposure to this temperature for seven 
hours, it lost 6 per cent, only of its weight, but its properties 
seem to have been permanently injured. Berzelius however 
has shewn that, on being combined with lead, sugar parts 
with about 5-3 per cent, of water without undergoing decom- 
position ; for he has likewise shown that it may be obtained 
again from the lead in its original state. This saccharate of 
lead I have several times formed, and once by accident I ob- 
tained it in the state of beautiful crystals. 
Sugar of Honey. The lowest f well defined sugar that I 
have yet examined, was first obtained from Narbonne honey, 
by means of a process formerly pointed out by me for obtain- 
* Dr. Ure states that he has found sugar to contain upwards of 43 per cent, of 
carbon ; but no such specimen has occurred to me, though I by no means deny its 
existence. Indeed I have hitherto met with no sugar as it occurs in commerce, 
yielding more than 42-5 per cent of carbon, and frequently it contains considerably 
less than this. 
t In commerce, these imperfect sugars are denominated weak or low sugars, which 
last epithet is here employed in this sense. 
