The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1883-08-25
Glucose and sucrose.

! from sorghum syrup 1t says, I'VE flnd
ourselves brought directly down to the
chemical difference between glucose and
sucrose, known IN more common language
as grape and cane sugar. And with the
difference in their composition we must
meet also the different relations they sus-
tain to the laws and force of crystalllza-
ton. We have long been familiar with
the tact that cane sugar crystalliZes readily,
but that grape sugar in its ordinary states
vii. not crystalliZe at all. We have also
known that sorghum sirup was in chief
part solution of glucose IN water, and
that because of the presence OF this uncrys'
tallizable sugar we failed to obtain any
crystals, though we were well aware that SUI
crosse was also present. This may be fair
" stated as about the extent Of our practl
cal knowledge three years ago. The fact
remained that no one could tell what
given lot of sorghum slrup would do;
perhaps it would crystalline, perhaps 1t
would not.
In the special report No. 80 IN the De
parment OF Agriculture we have the ana
lytcal and .other work done on sorghum
and corn.stalks by the chemical division
of the department, July to December
1890" DR.. Collier, chemist OF the depart
ment, establishes here certain points, from
which we may make our own lnterepces.
One of the chief objects he had in view
was to ascertain the actual and the rela-
tive qualities of sucrose and OF glucose
contained In the juice OF the sorghum
; during the successive stages Of its growth.
This was done carefully and continuously
aud with extreme accuracy. The laws OF
increase aud of diminution were ascer-
tanned as fully as the work of single
season would allow, and in the report he
was able to represent these results IN Sc
res of graphical plates" which show at a
, glance the proportions of sucrose and OF
glucose at the dates given. One OF these
may serve for all very correctly, for though
no two may agree fully, as might have
been expected, yet all agreed IN the main
features, and they prove this succession OF
events.
Commencing in the late days of July,
we see that the glucose exceeds the sucrose
IN quantity, but this condition ceases by
about the first of August. From this time
the sucrose increases rapidly though not
uniformly, partial retrogratlons occurring,
of brief duration. When the seed begins
to harden, say about the middle of Septem-
Der, the increase Is checked until the seed
is nearly ripe; then it goes on, and at the
full maturity of the seed 1t has reached lis
maximum, which it maintains with only
at the most small waste. This maximum
IS equal, as schedule shows, to the aver
age sucrose of sugar cane, and in some va
rleties goes decidedly above it.
While these changes have taken place
in the amount Of sucrose, precisely the OPP
positc has been gong on with the glucose,
1t has as steadily grown less and less, and
at the time OF maturity 1t has fallen to
very nearly the average OF the glucose OF
sugar cane and IN some varieties Is even
below it,
We have then this condition: when the
sorghum cane Is fully mature, Its sucrose
has reached Its maximum and Its glucose
its minimum, and each of these IS in about
the quantity and the proportions in which
it exists IN average sugar cane. we may
, therefore lnlcr that 1t Will yield return of
sugar Of equal weight and value to that OF
sugar cane, and will DO 1t as surely and as
readily. Ii this were absolutely true, we
should have the key of the situation IN our
!, hands; bat our sugar is not yet certain
though fortunately we are able to'make II
so. Sorghum juice is not sugar cane
Juice. 1t is unstable IN its chemical char
acter. Its suCrose, though SO largely IN
, the ascendenCy, has strange perverse ten
! dcnCy to take to itself another equivalent
of Hoo and thus become at once glucose
Unless this tendency Is arrested every
grain of available sugar may have disap'
pearcl, and probably will. within twenty
four hours from the commencement OF the
change, that l., from the cutting ot The
sorghum The transformation Can be pre-
vented by the use of lime, but practically
I, this is best done by boiling.
Here, then, is the mystery laid bare; The
KEY is now fairly within our hands Per
feet maturity OF the cane, and prompt D1l'
! ing the juice; these ere the TWO eSsehlin
-. poinGs With them success Is sure; with
out them we may expect failure; we shall
have a glucose sfup and nothlng else
= Nor are these assertions made AT random
DR.. Collier proved IN the labratory, II Is
true, the points which We have here tcen
and 1t is scarcely possi ole To award 10 hln
too great credit for his skill aud the truly
practical results ut which ne arrived. Bu'
we can now go beyond him, 10 that whIc'
: his researches have really secured IN aCtua
- field work. Sugar from sorghum cane ha
> begun now To bc reality, and not, as j
! was before, a chaHce shot only. The return
t Is matter of business CeIttinly; rs mucl
: 81 as that from sugar cane. We canuo
! here detail the crop reports OF 1882, hu
they fully justify all the statements w
l. have made.
: 1t is easy now To understand the capri,
D CiOus character acquired by sorghum i!
previous years. Every now and then ma
turity and promptness would combine, and
as n matter of course, beautiful suga
Il, ar