This is a comparison of basic and neutral lead acetate as clearing reagents on the bases of ease of handling, destruction of reducing compounds, and completeness of removal of interfering substances. Clearing with basic lead acetate and deleading with potassium oxalate or H2S precipitated 3-15% of the reducing substances present in plant extracts or pure sugar solutions. The loss varied with the quantity of lead used, the volume of the precipitate obtained, and the number of washings given. Although heavier treatments with basic lead acetate cleared the solutions more completely than neutral lead, purity of the cuprous oxide precipitate was not affected. The theoretical yield of Cu was obtained from the cuprous oxide reduced by pure solutions, but approximately 2% of impurity was indicated by electrolytic Cu determinations on the precipitate from solutions containing even a small proportion of plant extracts, without any relation to the clearing of the solution. The nature of this "impurity" was not determined, but it is pointed out that the small and constant value of the error makes it possible to ignore it in comparative analyses. The clearing of solutions for Cu reduction is stated as being largely a question of convenient removal of waxes, lipoids, and certain colloidal impurities which are filtered with difficulty before precipitation. Neutral lead acetate appears to be better adapted to this purpose than basic lead.