308  Microscopical  Examination  of  Malt.        { Am- ji°nue^8h4arm- 
and  dextrin,  one  or  both,  were  the  points  to  which  these  differences 
were  due.  Mr.  G.  Kiilmemann,  in  1875,  was  the  first  chemist  to  prove 
that  cane-sugar  was  present  in  barley  and  malt,  the  latter  also  contain- 
ing another  sugar  capable  of  reducing  Fehling's  solution.  On  the 
other  hand,  he  denied  the  presence  of  dextrin,  this  owing  to  his  belief 
that  dextrin  reduced  Fehling's  solution.  Researches  made  within  the 
last  few  years,  prove  that  dextrin,  if  pure,  will  not  reduce  the  test 
solution,  but  commercial  dextrin  invariably  reduces  it,  owing  to  the 
presence  of  more  or  less  glucose.  By  repeatedly  dissolving  dextrin  in 
water,  precipitating  by  and  washing  with  alcohol,  glucose  can  be  sepa- 
rated from  the  dextrin,  and  the  latter  will  then  not  reduce  Fehling's 
solution. 
MICROSCOPICAL  EXAMINATION  OF  MALT. 
By  Grace  Lee  Babb,  Ph.G. 
From  an  Inaugural  Essay. 
The  process  of  malting  barley  is  very  simple  in  theory,  but  in  prac- 
tice requires  a  great  deal  of  care,  and  constant  attention.  The  barley 
must  be  carefully  selected — this  is  the  work  of  an  expert — and  then 
"steeped."  For  this  purpose  it  is  placed  in  wooden  vats,  covered 
with  cold  water,  and  allowed  to  stand  several  days.  Some  maltsters 
consider  this  operation  complete  when  the  grain  is  soft  enough  to  be 
pierced  by  a  needle ;  others,  when  it  can  be  crushed  between  the  fin- 
gers. The  operation  is  carried  too  far  when  the  contents  of  the  vats 
become  milky.  During  this  time  the  barley  absorbs  from  50  to  60 
per  cent,  of  water,  which  is  necessary  in  the  following  operations. 
The  unabsorbed  water  is  then  drawn  off  from  the  vats,  and  the  soft- 
ened barley  is  placed  in  couches  upon  the  floor  of  the  malting  house. 
Germination  now  begins;  the  radicles  appear,  and  the  acrospires 
develop;  at  the  same  time  moisture  is  given  off;  hence  this  stage  of 
the  operation  is  sometimes  called  the  "  sweating."  Were  this  allowed 
to  proceed  the  albumen  of  the  seed  would  be  used  for  the  development 
of  the  radicles  and  plumules,  and  the  desired  object — the  conversion 
of  the  starch  into  maltose,  or  sugar — would  be  lost.  To  prevent 
further  development  the  temperature  is  reduced  by  spreading  out  the 
couches,  repeatedly  turning,  and  scattering  over  a  constantly  increas- 
ing surface.  When  the  process  has  been  carried  as  far  as  desired, 
which  is  generally  considered  to  be  when  the  acrospire  has  grown  to 
