The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1888-03-31
CHEMICAL DISCOVERIES.
Commodities Producibie from Purely II
organic Materials.

Commodities Producibie from Purely In
organic Materials.
II will be long time before the far
mer finds himself snpplanted by the
chemical laboratory in the production
of such commodities as sugar, tea,
alcohol, drugs and dye stuffs, though
sanguine chemists tell us that the re-
cent triumphs of their science indicate
the probability that these and other
articles will some day be proitably
produced from purely inorganic ma
terials. Synthetic chemistry, or the
forming of compounds by recombina-
tions of chemical elements, Is making
steady progress, and has already
affected agriculture.
Mr.. Robert Hugh Mills, in recent
lecture, called attention to the fact
that the cultivation of madder has been
almost destroyed by the chemical dis
covery that its identical coloring mat
ter can be cheaply produced from coal
tar. The production Of indigo is also
threatened by an artificial product
which the chemists have discovered.
A while ago it was found that the Gin
chona tree could be profitably planted
in India, and fine new field of indus
try was believed to have opened for
the farmers of that country. Scores Of
chemists, however, have been at work
upon the synthesis of quinine, and
their researches have advanced so far
that the prediction is now confidently
made that the manufacture of the prin-
ciple of quinine will soon be COM
mercial success, and that cinchona
planting will become thing of the
past. These chemical reproductions of
the valuable principles Inherent in
natural products are often easier to
handle and utilize than the products
from which they have hitherto been de-
rived, and thus the tendency of manu-
features is to substitute artificial for
natural sources of supply.
The problem of sugar-making from
inorganic materials has engaged some
chemists for number of years. The
synthesis of glucose last year by Fischer
and Tafel, is said to promise an ample
supply of this commodity without the
aid of grapes or starch. Two years age
some German chemists announced tha
they had produced saccharose, ths
equivalent of cane sugar, by passing
an electric current through q mixture
of starch, sulphuric acid aud water
Nothing has yet been heard of the com
mercial value of this new product, ant
there is no reason to think it will prove
a dangerous rival to the sweets W.
derive from the cane and the beet
Some sugar growers. however, have
been prophesying for years that some
thing would happen to ruin the sugar
industry, and their alarm receives F;
fresh impulse at every new discovery
like that of Remsen's saccharine, al
exceedingly sweet article produced
from coal tar. The day may come
when processes of sugar-making by tn,
use of inorganic materials will seriously
affect the sugar planter. but there il
no reason as yet to believe that his in
dustry will soon be imperilled.
Legislation has interviewed in SOM
places to protect the dairy farme
against oleomargarine even where thi
product is honestly sold as artificial
butter. 1t is not to be expected tha
in many cases where science supple
us with desirable substitute for an
) product. the law can be successful
invoked to keep the world from rear
t ing the benefit of Increasing knowledge
Future discoveries may compel the fal
| mer to cease raising some produce b
, which he has thrived, or to chang
, and improve his methods of agricuI
, ture; but it is certain that the tillers G
| the soil will continue to supply tn
chief resources of food and apparel
| N. y San.