90 The Sugar Cane. [JULY, 



house is about to commence, a busy and cheerful scene ensues. Negroes 

 are employed in cleaning and washing out the coppers, preparing 

 the quicklime, and making lime-water. The mill is put about, and 

 every one is actively employed." Our limits will not permit us 

 to give even a tolerable idea of the various operations previous to 

 the sugar being ready for potting, or putting into hogsheads. The 

 molasses are allowed to drain through holes in the bottom of the 

 cask. " It is a good plan, and will abundantly repay the trouble it 

 occasions, if, previously to heading up the hogsheads, the portion of 

 sugar which is least perfectly cured is taken from the bottom of the 

 cask, and its place is supplied with dry sugar. The portion thus 

 removed may then be returned to the cooler ; and if hot liquor 

 from the boiler be then poured upon and mixed with it, the sub- 

 sequent curing will be more perfect than the first." Attention 

 to this, and similar matters, appear to us of great importance, as, on 

 many estates, more serious loss is occasioned by drainage previous to 

 shipment, and during the voyage, besides consequent deterioration of 

 quality than many planters are aware of. The sugar made in this way 

 is the raw or muscovado sugar, commonly used in this country. 



In the foreign colonies an additional process is resorted to for forming 

 what are called clayed sugars. It is put into conical earthen vessels, 

 two feet or upwards in height, and thirteen or fourteen inches in 

 diameter at the base the vortex pierced with a hole of about an inch in 

 diameter, through which the molasses are, in the first place, allowed to 

 drain. To deprive the sugar of the greater part of its remaining im- 

 purities, the sugar is pressed down, and a diluted argillaceous earth, 

 or clay, put on the base of the cone or loaf of sugar. The clay performs 

 the office of a sponge, allowing the water to percolate slowly through 

 the sugar; the syrup which it contains is thus diluted and rendered 

 more fluid, and descending through the chrystals to the lower part of 

 the form, drains into the pot placed beneath to receive it. The clay, 

 having parted with all its water, is taken off the base of the loaf, a 

 second and third repetition of the process takes place. 



The sugar is then left in the form for twenty days longer, that the 

 sugar may be entirely freed from syrup. It is then taken out of the 

 form, and exposed to the heat of the sun. Afterwards it is well dried 

 in a stove, pulverized in wooden trays or troughs, put into hogsheads, 

 and sent to market. 



In Cuba and Brazil, where larger cones are used, the loaf, after 

 stoving, is divided into three portions : the base is called white, the 

 middle yellow, and the small part brown. These portions are pulver- 

 ized, packed separately, in wooden boxes, for sale. 



" It is calculated that about one-sixth of the chrystalline sugar is dis- 

 solved, and runs off in the operation of claying ; this, together with the 

 extra labour and utensils required, are not thought to be sufficiently 

 counterbalanced by the improvement in quality. Sugar is, therefore, 

 very seldom clayed for exportation in the English colonies."(p- 92.) 

 The syrup which runs from the sugar during the operation of claying is 

 re-crystallized and re-undergoes a similar process. 



The author enters into a full statement of the French method of ma- 

 nufacturing sugar, and of the improvements suggested by Dutrone, from 

 which the British planter may derive some useful hints. 



" Syrups when concentrated beyond the point of solution, assume, in cooling, 



