Vol. XVIII. .Vo. 4.31 



THE AGRICULTURAL -'^EVv'S. 



Tlie article referred to says tlut tlier.e is a considerable 

 ■(]"ed 'jf sUndardizing Hrst moUsses By a very simple change 

 ofruetho<l it is ijossible to turn out a first molasses ci^rres- 

 ponding to any ilesired requirement. First molasses may 

 be met with which would pass for .syrup, with a purity of over 

 (iO, and also first molasse..; witii :\ purity of about 45. It is 

 possible to maki' tiris purity anything by capping off first 

 strikes with greater or le.ss •,|uantities of first molasses. 

 in dealing with high purity juices, it is necessary to do 

 this to some extent as a rule, even in making granu- 

 lated sugar, and if the wash is separated from the 

 molasses proper, the purity of the latter can be materially 

 reduced. First molasses with a purity of about .iO-S-'^ when 

 made from sugar-cane is an e.xeellent, palatable foodstuff, 

 and might be u.sed in every household, if it were not for the 

 peculiar fact thivt you cannot buy it in the grocery stores. 

 Molasses of this type is usually sold at about 42 Be. or 78 Bx- 

 and under ordinary circumstances is not particularly subject 

 to fermentation. Ther; seems to be no good reason why it 

 could not be made in standard ipiality, and sold in gallon 

 cans in almost unliniited .juantity direct to the consumer. 

 As matters staud, the entire crop of first molasses goes direct 

 to large molasses houses, who blend it and treat it in various 

 ways, and eventually send it to the very homes where it 

 should have gone at the outset at a consider ably reduced price, 

 and of consideiably better quality. 



It is also possible to turn out a second molasses with 

 any purity from about ."3 to 10. When this purity is allowed 

 to rise to about 38, it is possible to get a .second molasses also 

 which is well adapted to human consumption. For this 

 article there seems to e.xist no pre.sent market — a state of 

 atfairs. however, nhieh is by no means necessary. As a step 

 forward toward.s creating a direct market for both first and 

 .second molasses, these article.? should be standardized. 

 particularly as to purity. Buyers have hitherto attached 

 entirely too much importance to colour. What the consumer 

 mostly desirei), however, is flavour, and this seems to be 

 mostly dependent upon purity. 



UTILIZATION OF MOLASSES. 



Kxperiments are in progress m Formosa with a view to 

 Ascertaining the best methods of utilizing the molasses of 

 large sugar factcries. Some account of the work done by 

 Migaku l.shida and his collaborators is given. in a report of 

 the Government Sugar E.xperiment Station, of which an 

 abstract has been furnished by the author. It is stated that 

 the molasses produced in the large sugar factories in For- 

 •jiiosa in the campaign of 191-5 IG was utilized as follows: — 

 Manufacture of alcohol 8(>-9 per cent. 



Preparation of alcoholic beverages 1.5'.3 „ ,, 

 Exported 6-4 „ ,, 



<)n hand TI ,, 



The total production was about 133,000 gallons. 

 A carefully considered scheme has been prepared for the 

 study of the various purposes to which molasses can be 

 applied, and certain investigations have already been 

 undertaken Amongst these are;- - 



T. .'\ method of purifying molasses. 

 11. Esperiments in removing invert sugar frooi 

 molasses. 

 III. Preparation of molasses fodder. 

 IV. Experiments with molasses as a fertilizer. 

 V. Experiments on the use of molasse.s as fuel. 

 V'l Tiie preparation of solidified molasses. 

 .\s regards the firs'u of these natters of consideration, a 

 process has been patented based on the neutralization of the 



molasses with lime, f.Uov^ed by the precipitation of gums and 

 pectin by alcohol, after ^which the alcohol is recovered, and ». 

 purified .syrup is produced 



In connexion with the use of mo]i.>sesa.s a fertilizer, it is 

 suggested that the ajiplication, which may be at the rate of 

 about 400 &. per ..ere. may be made either two roclrr: bcf-ra 

 planting sugar canes or at the time of planting, and that it 

 is also satisfactory if made one month after the canes have 

 begun to cpro'tt. It is further suggested that molasses may 

 be used in conjunction with sulphate of ammonia and sulphate 

 of potassium without phosphate, the application of molasses 

 appearing to stimulate the absorption of phosphate by tha 

 cane. 



When used for fuel, molasses appears to be best lui :ed ta 

 the extent of 4 or 5 ft. of molasses per 100 lb. of megas?. 



STEAM STERILIZATION OF SEED-BEDS. 



Tobacco seedlings are specially subject to injury in the 

 seed-bed by weeds and a number of parasitic enemies, among 

 which is a fungus root rot. It is of the utmost importance 

 to ._secure beds free from weeds, and to avoid the use of 

 diseased or weak seedlings. Methods of sterilization have 

 been developed to control seed-bed conditions. For many 

 years in the tobacco growing areas of the .Southern States of 

 America, the open fire method has been practi.sed. The area 

 selected for use as a seed- bed is cleared, the ground broken, and 

 brush and wood laid over it and burnt. When the burning 

 is done thoroughly, the resulting heat is suffioieut to free the 

 soil of all fungi and weed .seeds to a depth of several 

 inches, but the organic matter of the soil is largely destroyed. 

 Barn manure and fertilizers, therefore, containing organic 

 matter, must be applied after firing, and this opens the way 

 for the renewal of fungus spores cr weed seeds. 



Another method of sterilization by steam is described 

 in Fanners' Bidklin No. 696, U. S. Department of .Agri- 

 culture, which i.s said to be the most satisfactory method 

 of sterilization wihch has been developed up to the present 

 time. The essential feature of this steaming process is an 

 inverted pan used to force the steam into the soil. It haa 

 been widely adopted in certain tobacco-growing districts. 

 Be.sides eliminating diseases and improving general soil 

 conditions, it; kills weed seeds more effectively than the old 

 methods. The cost of sterilizing, it is stated, is mure than 

 paid for by the saving in the cost of weeding, the greatest 

 item of expense being a portable boiler of at le;ist 20 h.p 

 In some parts of the tobacco-growing districts the owners 

 of steam tractors or portable boilers go from place to place 

 sterilizing beds at fixed prices. 



With necessary modifications in the aj)paratus, the 

 method can also be used very successfully for various other 

 crops besides tobacco. 



When steam sterilization cannot be used, one gaiiou 

 of commercial 40-iiit cent, formaldehyde solution, diluted 

 in 50 gallons of water, is applied by means of a commoa 

 watering can at the rate of 2 quarts per square foot of bed, 

 to control seed-bed diseases. The cost of this is greater 

 than that of steaming, and it is less effective. 



DEPARTMENT NEWS. 



Mr. W. N^oweil, D.I.C, Mycologist on the staff of 

 the 'Imperial Department of At^riculture, returned to 

 Barbados on February 1,- after a visit to Trinidad. 



