406 U. S. E~JREAU OF CHEMISTRY NOTES. [J. F. I.

enabled rats to grow at a practically normal rate without the addition of cystine and without cooking.

The proteins of the field pea and those of the cooked cow-pea plus cystine were equally efficient in promoting growth at a practically normal rate, while the proteins of the cow-pea, raw plus cystine, or cooked without cystine, were less than half as well utilized as those of the field pea.

SAUERKRAUT AND ITS PRODUCTION.

By Edwin LeFevre.

[ABSTRACT.]

CABBAGE is properly cured by the acid brine formed by the action of a group of lactic bacteria always present on cabbage. The presence of yeasts is not essential to this fermentation. A temperature of approximately 86” F. is required to secure the maximum activity of the fermenting organisms. If properly fer- mented under sanitary conditions sauerkraut, fermented salt cab- bage, is a pure and wholesome product. The best way to market it is in the canned form.

WOOL SCOURING WASTES FOR FERTILIZER PURPOSES.’

By F. P. Veitch.

MORE than 6oo,ooo,ooo pounds of wool are scoured in this country annually. On the average, the grease content of this wool is approximately 14 per cent. and the potash (K,O) content is about 4 per cent., while nitrogenous constituents other than those of the wool itself fall below I per cent., on the basis of the unscoured wool. The possibility of utilizing the potash and nitrogenous constituents for fertilizer purposes is being studied in the Bureau of Chemistry. Experiments on the manufac- turing scale have shown that the material can be handled satis- factorily in the factory. The problem which remains to be solved is, whether or not these materials can be recovered and used economically.

3 Published in Canwr, Vol. 55, No. 2, Serial No. 1432, p. 27. ’ Published in J. Irtd. E~tg. Cht-m., 14 (192) : 434.