ADULTERATION OF FIXED OILS. 
209 
Fi •ench declare the root in question to be unfit for use in 
cookery, although it is exposed for sale in the markets. The 
least fertile soil is said to produce 1 25 to 130 hectolitres per 
hectare, or about 888 English bushels per acre, and good 
lands will yield as much as double that quantity, and up to 
90 tons per acre. The green tops are given to cattle and 
sheep, and the dry stalks are used for burning. The root is 
strongly recommended for horses, milch cows, and pigs, as 
well as for stock, but the latter are described as not caring 
at first for artichokes without a little salt, though they relish 
them amazingly if permitted to grub them up for themselves. 
The Jerusalem artichoke is stated to be unequalled for health 
and stamina; it is declared to have never yet been diseased 
like the poor potato, to be utterly unaffected by cold, dryness, 
and insects, and to remain in the ground without injury as 
long as convenient. 
AGE OF BONES. 
M. Couerbe considers that it is possible to know the age of 
bones by ascertaining, by analysis, the amount of nitrogenous 
organic matter remaining in them. He says that Vogelsang 
found, in bones that had been eleven centuries under 
ground, traces only of organic nitrogenous bodies, and hence 
he concludes that these disappear at the rate of three per cent, 
in a century. There are, however, certain conditional cir¬ 
cumstances which would affect the correctness of the inquiry, 
as soil, integrity of the bone, &c. 
' TEST FOR GRAPE AND CANE SUGARS. 
The triacetate of lead and ammonia, according to M 
Schmidt, produces, with both these sugars, white precipi¬ 
tates; but, on being heated, or allowed to remain for some 
time, grape sugar gives a red colour, while cane sugar remains 
unaltered. 
ADULTERATION OF FIXED OILS. 
It is not uncommon for many of the fixed oils to be 
adulterated with the oil of rapeseed. As the cruciferce con¬ 
tain sulphur, it may be detected, according to M. Schneider, 
by means of nitrate of silver,, For this purpose he dissolves 
one volume of the suspected oil in two volumes of ether, and 
to the mixture adds from twenty to thirty drops of a saturated 
xxxv. 14 
