Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1874-05-01

wines and other liquors, and was employed
in making confectionery, especially when II
was desired 10 make articles that would not
dissolve quickly in the mouth
Soon the article was In demand for adul-
terating cane sugar aud sirups, aud manu-
factories sprang up in various parts of Eu-
rope. During our civil war it was imports
ed into this country, and largely used by
wine and candy manufacturer and to some
extent was employed TO adulterate sugar,
strip and moasses. We believe the French
article has always been carefully made, and
that il is as wholesome as natural sugar.
Within the past few years manufactures of
artificial sirups have sprung up in various
parts Of this country. As is usual, our peo-
pie made haste to become rich. They we're
less painstaking than the French, had less
scientific and practical knowledge, used
cheap materials and still cheaper apparatus.
and as a consequence turned out very
poor imitation of squire sugar house sirup."
Inferior starch or very poor corn was boiled
10 iron vessels with sulphuric acid aud wa
ter, till the liquor was sweet The acid was
not entirely neutralized, and often unwhole-
|
product orIto give it favorable appearance.
Occasionally, as in the case of the once
popular "Siver Drip" strip, really fine
article was made. but the contrary was the
rule. As rule, poorer qualities of grocer
les are used in the country than in large cit
les; and It is quito likely that worse samples
Of manufactured srups have found their
way among farmers than are ever retailed
in this city. The writer has,examined sew
eral specimens Of strip that have been con-
demned as unwholesome. In most of them
no substances really injurious were found
10 one specimen, made in Milwaukee, which
was retailed in Racine, causing, it was be-
lieved, severe cases Of sickness, quite large
quantities of ohIorides Of iron, tin and CAL
cium we're found. 1t would appear that the
sirup was made by the use of hydro-chloric
instead Of sulphurie acid, that it was heated
or handled in vessels of both iron and tin,
and that the acid was neutralzed by the use
of lime. 1t is certain that this method Of
manufacture is not common.
In regard to the presence of sulphuric
acid in strip it may be said that there is no
sugar, sirup or moasses Except those of do
| mNStlC uuuuidSbuNCil CusiEciJ lTOn IL.
The acid may be free, but it is usually com.
bined with lime. Its presence is due to the
following cause : Sulphite of lime is now
almost universally used in sugar-making in
order TO prevent fermentation. During the
process it changes, in whole or in part, into
sulphate of lime, and it is impracticable to
entirely separate it. Free sulphuric acid is
often added to genuine cane molasses to keep
it from sOuring The amount of this acid,
However, is 30 very small as to excite nc
alarm. Our fathers objected to loaf sugar
because it was rendered white by treating il
with blood and by 6ltering it through bones
We have learned that these two substance.
take away vast amount of filth, and are
entirely harmless.
We offer no defense for most of the arti
fetal strip found in the market. 1t is vile
stuff at best, and so is most of the New Or
leans and West India molasses 1t sheuld
all be clarified before it passes into the hu
;; man stomach. They all show the need of I
vigorously enforced adulteration act. Leav
ing the matter Of their injury to health ou
/; of the question, we think if people coulC
weigh and measure the filth they pay for il
brown sugar, sirup and molasses, that they
, would be convinced that pure white sugar il
the cheapest sweetening they can buy
Prairie Farmer.