360 WISCONSIN STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
and until more is known”of it, I would not recommend its being 
tried, beyond experiments, by farmers. 
ANALYSIS OP SUGARS. 
Sugar, and a class of substances nearly allied to it by chem¬ 
ical combinations, constitute the chief mass of the vegetable 
kingdom. These substances arc mild in their character, and 
generally tasteless or sweet. They are as follows : 
Woody fibre or cellulose (bard wood) 
... , do.do... .do ... 
Starch,. 
Cane sugar,. 
Gum (Arabic),. 
Grape sugar (dry),. 
Grape sugar (crystalized),. 
Carbon. 
Hy. 
Ox. 
. 12_ 
8 .. 
.. 8 
. 12_ 
10 .. 
.. 10 
. 12 .... 
10 .. 
.. 10 
. 12_ 
11 .. 
.. 11 
. 12 .... 
11 .. 
.. 11 
. 12- 
12 .. 
.. 12 
. 12 .... 
14 .. 
.. 14 
This singular combination of twelve equivalents of carbon 
with hydrogen and oxygen in equal equivalents, shows that 
they are all derived from the same common source, carbonic 
acid. This will account for the fact that all juices of plants, 
while growing, contain this acid in solution. 
Another fact, depending on the circumstance that they all 
contain twelve equivalents of carbon, and differ only in the 
amount of water or its components, is this : All before grape 
sugar may be converted even artificially into that substance. 
The conversion of starch into sugar, constantly takes place 
naturally, in germination, as is seen in malting; and of both 
starch and woody fibre occurs in the ripening of fruits. In 
these processes, it is brought about by contact of ferment. 
That is, it adds water or its elements to the carbon. The same 
result is obtained artificially by boiling them in sulphuric acid; 
and also, in the case of starch or sugar, by adding an infusion 
of malt (yeast), which, in fact, is but a solution of grape sugar. 
Cane sugar is known by its rhomboidal crystals, and by being 
soluble and sweeter than grape sugar. In contact with an acid 
or ferment it becomes grape sugar, and then, but not before, it 
undergoes fermentation. 
