46 



the character and condition of the soil either directly hy the decomposi- 

 tion of its roots, or indirectly through its effect on soil organisms, and 

 the Woburn experimen-ts, which deal with this subject, will be closely 

 followed. {Nature.) 



REVIEWS AND NOTES. 



On Cane Sugar and the process of its manufacture in Java. 



By H. 0. Prinsen Geerligs. Published by " The Sugar Cane" 



Altrincham, England. Price 5/. 



The Director of the West Java Sugar Experiment Station, who 

 has done more than any other living Chemist to extend our knowledge 

 of the chemistry of the sugar cine and the technology of the manu- 

 facture of r'ane Sugar, has here put together all that it is of importance 

 for the scientific Director or Superintendent to know respecting the 

 management of a Cane Sugar Factory. We confidently affirm that 

 this is a most valuable and authoritative work and one that can not 

 fail to be of great practical service to sugar producers in all cane grow- 

 ing countries. 



The subject is naturally sub divided into two portions. Part I. The 

 Raw Material and Part II. Sugar Manufadure. 



The composition of the cane is clearly set forth in a concise manner 

 with the minimum of chemical technicalities for a sound presentation 

 of the subject. 



The Second Part of the Book, however, contains matter of most 

 direct practical importance in Jamaica. 



Mr. Prinsen Geerligs states as regards the contest between diffusion 

 and milling that the decision becomes more and more decided in favour 

 of the latter owing to the many improvements which have been made 

 in mills and appliances for preparing cane for milling during the last 

 few years. 



Defecation, Carbonation and Double Carbonation, the use of Phos- 

 phoric Acid and of Sulphurous Acid are successively considered. 



Our chief needs in Jamaica are clearly better milling and the gene- 

 ral use of Triple Effets for evaporation. Mr. Geerlig's data on these 

 points emphasise the grear loss we incur in Jamaica in the initial re- 

 covery of juice from the cane and again the great advantage of the 

 vacuum evaporation process over the open battery generally employed 

 in this island. 



Our Sugar Industry in Jamaica will stand or fall oa the possibility 

 of working estates producing 500 to 1,000 tons of sugar per crop 

 under the new conditions. 



It is clear, therefore, that in Jamaica we can not carry out the full 

 elaboration of a modern sugar factory and there is much in Mr 

 Geerligs' book that it would be impossible to carry out generally in 

 this island. Efficient double crushing, and a triple effet should be on 

 every estate where sugar is the main object of manufacture. 



We cordially recommend every attorney and manager in Jamaica 

 to purchase this book and to study it carefully. 



