Glucose.

Otago Witness, Issue 1602, 5 August 1882, Page 7

Glucose.

The glucose manufacturers -in the United States havo risen to the importance and dignity of annual conventions. Fifteen of them have lately met in Chicago and congratulated each other on tho flourishing condition of their business. They are all oversold, and the only thing that troubles them is to provide means to meet the mysterious increasing demand for their imitation sugar and syrups. No one knows exactly what becomes of the enormous yield of tho fifteen glucose factories. Nothing by tho name of glucose or corn syrup is for sale at any grocer's, or is in tho acknowledged use of any confectioner. It is probably impossible to buy a pound of the one or a quart of tho other at retail in any store in the United States. The glucose is surreptitiously mixed with cheap pieces, whitening it up to a higher pricod white grade ; and the syrup, either mixed or unmixed with tho true saccharine article, is -palmed off as the genuine cane or maple syrup. As for the confectioners, a large percentage of their candies is believed to bo composed ot the cheap and comparatively worthless substitute for the only element that makes candies desirable. Anyhow, a great many some-bodies in the States work off enough of these mixed sugars and syrups to keep fifteen factories in full blast day and night, and still unable to catch up with tho demand. A new one, which exemplifies the magnitude of the glucose interest, is now going up in Chicago. The main building will be 1(30 feet square and thirteen storeys high, with filter buildings and boiler houses in proportion, and will cost all told about $400,000. Tho works will employ from 700 to JOOO men and consume 15,000 bushels of corn a day. A bushel of corn yields about thirty pounds of grape sugar or three gallons of syrup. The sugar costs about ISs per cwt., and can be sold at about, 28j» per cwt; and the syrup is proportionately profitable. These figures aro unofficial, as given by the Chicago papers, and may or may not be correct. The glucose people do not deal in open market and above board like other manufacturers. Their price lists aro unknown to market reports, and only to bo ascertained by tho initiated. They mako more money out of their business than outsiders suppose. Wo ask for glucose, as for oleomargarine, a fair field, but no favours, and no chance for false pretences. Let them both sink or swim by their own merits — such as they are. Up to the present the uso of glucose or grape-sugar has been almost exclusively confined to brewers and confectioners, as none suitable for table purposes has yet been introduced. The following from the statistical office of the Custom House shows the quantity of glucose imported into the United Kingdom, during tho last three years : — 1579 .. .. 86,559,4-6 lbs. ISjO .. .. 4i,445,120 „ 3831 .. .. 44,750,576 „ It is ostimatod the imports this year will be fully 33 per cent, larger than any previous one, in consequence of the increased consumption.— The Grocer.