14 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



Ja.m-aky C, 190G. 



SL't.AB AND THE sua ARC AXE: An chiuentan/ 

 ijfctti^e fin till' ii[/ricv/iiire df the suf/ftr-cam; and on the 

 manntacture of cane sxigar. By Noi'l Deerr. AltrincJuim, 

 ManclieMcr : Norman Rodijer. lOO-j. ^ip. 39G anil xix. Price, 

 7?. 6(7. net. 



The writer of this treati.se has set himself the bj' no means 

 eaisy ta.sk of attempting to present iu one con.secutive whole 

 a general ■view of the cane-sugar industry, and it must be 

 conceded that he has succeeded admirably. 



In the course of twenty-four closely written chapters the 

 ivbole subject is brought under review, beginning with the 

 cane itself and [lassing in orderly succession to the soil and 

 climate required for the sugar-cane, its varieties, manner of 

 cultivation, irrigation, manuring, the diseases and enemies to 

 which it i.s liable, its harvesting and transport. The various 

 methods of extracting the juice and of manufacturing the 

 sugar are described at considerable length and practically 

 every machine used in a modern cane sugar factory is 

 described, both as to its structure and use. The chemical 

 control of the factory is discussed at length, the methods of 

 working of analyses and calculations being fully described. 

 The final chapter is devoted to the cjuestion of fermentation 

 and the production of alcohol. 



In the preface the writer points out that he lays little 

 claim to originality, the work being largely a compilation of 

 the extensive and scattered literature which now exists. This 

 is a strong point, for, from the careful manner in which he 

 lias compiled the work of many well-kno\\n writers, he has 

 left little to criticize, while laying all interested in the sugar- 

 cane and the manufacture of cane sugar under a debt of 

 gratitude for bringing together much valuable information 

 which, formerly being scattered, was either ditticult to trace 

 or apt to be overlooked. 



The book is copiously illustrated, and in atldition to li'O 

 figures in the text there are nine well-executed coloured 

 plates of jirominent varieties of sugar-cane. 



In the attempt to describe the principal -sarieties C'f 

 •sugar-cane allusion is made to the almost hojieless confusion 

 which exists in the naming of sugar-canes, a condition which 

 threatens to glow worse with the production of new .seedling 

 varieties in various parts of the world. 



The various operations in the prejiaratif'n of the soil and 

 the planting of the cane are considered in moderate detail, 

 but this part of the work does not receive .such full treatment 

 as do the other parts dealing with the transport of the 

 cane and the manufacture of sugar. This is perhaps only 

 natural, for the great diversity of agricultural practice 

 consequent upon difference of soil and climate, as well as 

 upon the nationality of the cultivator, precludes the 

 exhaustive treatment of this side of the work within the 

 moderate limits of a book of the kind before us : the writer 

 has jirobably been well advised in making the limitations he 

 has. Each cane-growing district has its own methods and 

 a complete discus.sion of each is not possible. 



Agricultural inqilements are .scarcely described, possibly 

 it might be interesting to illustrate and describe a few of 



the forms in common use in the princiijal cane-growino- 

 countries : this might lead to the more extended use of 

 imiilements which have been proved useful. It might also 

 have been well if some information had been given concerning 

 steam ploughs and cultivators, the use of which appears to 

 be extending. 



In connexion with the manuring of the sugar-cane, it 

 would be well to lay stress upon the fact that very ditierent 

 methods of manuring may prove remunerative in different 

 places according to the soil and climate, so that it is uiLsafe 

 to adopt the practice of one country in another without careful 

 experiment and that each cane-growing country or district 

 should endeavour to determine, by carefully controlled 

 experiments, the system best suited to its own requirements. 



The portions relating to machinery and sugar manu- 

 facture appear to be sufficiently full and explicit, the various 

 machines being described in order and the theories under- 

 lying their working discussed. Detailed consideration is 

 given to questions affecting crushing with and witliout 

 maceration ; the information here brought together must be 

 of great use to those in charge of mills and should have the 

 effect of inducing, managers to give this part of their work 

 more careful study on systematic lines and assist in di.s- 

 plaeing rule-of-thumb methods. 



Careful consideration is given to i)i'obleins affecting heat, 

 its utilization, distribution, and economy, all of which will 

 prove of assistance to those managers who wish to get the 

 best work out of the factories under their charge. 



The chapters relating to sugar making proper give good 

 outlines of the various jirocesses. It would have increased 

 the interest of the book if the author could have given more 

 consideration to the working of juices presenting difficulties 

 in their manipulation, the so-called ' gummy juices' often 

 met with in places where the normal development of the 

 cane is interfered with, either by drought, cold, or disease. 



The information on chemical points and the chemical 

 control of the factory is full and explicit; no doubt the fact 

 that the present work rendeis information more easily 

 accessible will tend to further extension of careful chemical 

 control in sugar manufacture in English-speaking countries. 



The preparation of alcohol is dealt with at length, an 

 interesting desci iption of methods and of tlie appliances used 

 being given. 



This book will undoubtedly be used as a work of 

 reference. This being so, it is desirable that the index should 

 be more complete ; this defect, it is hoped, the author will 

 remedy in the next edition. 



' (Sugar and the Sugar-cane' may be unhesitatingly 

 recommended to all connected with the sugar industry as 

 being the most convenient hand-book and work of reference 

 on the subject in Enallsh with which we are acquainted 



rF.w.i 



HURRICANE INSURANCE. 



It is announced in the We><t India Conimilfec Circidar 

 that arrangements have now been made at Lloyds to give 

 effect til the scheme for insurance against hurricanes in the 

 island of Dominica formulated by his Honour H. Hesketh 

 Bell, the Administrator of the island. Two rates have 

 been quoted, one for insurance against hurricanes, and the 

 other against damage cau.sed by seismic or volcanic disturb- 

 ances, and the insurance will cover all kinds of produce 

 except bananas. The rates will work out between \i, 

 per cent, and 2 per cent., the former figure being approxi" 

 mately that for insurance against hurricanes, and the latter 

 against hurricanes or volcanic disturbances. Against volcanic 

 disturbances alone the rate will be about \ per cent. 



