Thibodaux minerva. [volume] (Thibodaux, La.) 18??-1858, 1856-04-26
A New Sugar.

n 5ho1e SiLiS SiAIS We PooAaiSut VAN
Washington Union, an extract Of letter from
q gentleman residing in Provo City, Utah Ter
ritory, to Hon. J. VI. Bernished, giving an ac-
count of the manner in which new kind OF
sugar had been made in that Territory from a
white sweet substance found on tton-wood
trees, and somewhat resembling honey dew.
Since then, cake of this sugar, which had
been placed in Mr. B. s hands for the purpose,
was submitted to chimist to be analyzed. We
give below the result Of this test:
ssThe physical characters Of the substance
resemble much the maple sugar of our country.
1t has however, a dark layer, on one side which
is less sweet than the lighter-colored one, ow-
ing probably to the extraetive matter evapora-
ted with the leaves Of the cottonwood tree that
have been boiled down with the liquor. The
sugar is not erystalized, but granular and po-
rous and appears to contain a considerable por-
ton of molasses. 1t is of clammy touch, un-
like the cane Or maple sugar, and its taste is
second to that of the last two mentioned kinds.
The chemical characters of this sugar are as
follows | have ascertaned, to my full satisfac-
ton, that it is grape sugar, or similar to that
made from starch. Tromlners copper test has
proved beyond doubt that it is not a cane sugar.
4 solution of this sugar, with the addition OF
potash lye and sulphate of copper, will. after a
few minutes boiling, change the green hydrate
of copper thus produced into an orange sub-ox-
ide copper, even in the cold at an extremely
great dilution, Tone grain to IN ounce Of water,
while for the sake of comparison, solution of
cane sugar treated in the same way with cop
per, no change of color could be detected, either
by boiling or after standing some days. Regar-
ding the origin Of this sngar, which, from the
details given by your friends, appears to be dis
tributed over large district in Utah Territory.
so that the inhabitants were able to produce
several Thousand pounds Of sugar in a very short
period, and by the most simple process, such as
collecting the leaves Of the cottonwood, wash
ing off the sediment, and concentrating and eva
porating the liquor, | was much astonished at
first when reading the account, and after some
reflection as to the causes that had produced
this sugar rain, which some of your friends ap-
pear to attribute to mama similar to that up
on which God made the Jews subsist while in
the desert of Arabia, and which by special fav-
or, the same Being has granted to the Mormons,
l found that the formation of this sugar could
be explained, physiologieally, upon natural
principles, and in the following manner:
1t is a well-known fact that the sap Of trees
will continue to circulate through the cellular
tissue as long as the organic life is sustained by
heat and light, while sudden change in the
temperature will produce an interruption in the
circulation, and thereby q chemical metamor-
phose. It has been observed, also, that the
leaves Of many trees and shrubs will, in eonse-
auenee Of such sudden change as from very
hot day to cold night, secrete and cover them
with a sweet substance exactly in the manner
described by the collectors in Utah. have OBJ
| served the same phenomenon in the south OF
Germany in many butternut, walnut and chest
nut trees. Therefore, it is disease in the trees
or an organic disorder called forth by the de-
composition or secretion Of those matters reauir.
ed for the nourishment and support Of the veg
| etable life As an illustration Of the chemical
change, will mention the potato, which doe:
not taste sweet, nor contain in its natural STATE
| any sugar, yet becomes sweet when attacked By
| frost; the juice thereby becoming decomposet
/ and converted into sugar. Properly speaking
| it is the mildeu which is 50 often observed Oh
many trees, (such as the black alder, linden
and rose bush, occasionally on the beach ant
oak, and which corresponds with the secretion
Of sugar ON many leaves, which are less protect
ed, although very tenderly constructed by ma
ture, and are therefore effected easily on sud
den change, and are also exposed to this de
rangement, as regards the great quantity OF tn
sugar gathered, which may be surprisingl
large at first, nevertheless may be explained
The vegetable juice contains in the fall Of th'
year the greatest quantity Of starch, which /
80 easily converted by the natural as well q
artificial process into sugar.
| eft may mot be out Of place here to remar]
that, in consequence Of the formation Of suga
mould, lice snd other insects are created o.
these trees. IF steady rain does not soon at
| ter the secretion remove all the sugar from them
the mildew is therefore not the cause, but til
result, from the creation Of those parasites"