THE STORY OF SUGAR, 



Professor W. P. Gamble. 



From early childhood, the boys and girls of Canada are familiar with 

 the substance called sugar. We all know that it is used in large quanti- 

 ties for the purpose of giving a pleasant taste to many of the delicious 



dishes prepared for our use ; but how 

 many of my young friends have taken 

 the trouble to inquire into the origin and 

 manufacture of this useful substance ? 



There are many kinds of sugar; but 

 the one we shall speak of more particu- 

 larly is the cane-sugar, so called because 

 it was first manufactured from the sugar 

 cane. Pure cane-sugar, as it appears 

 on our market, consists of a mass of 

 white crystals. If this sugar be heated 

 to 320° Fahrenheit, it will melt to a 

 colorless liquid, which rapidly assumes 

 an amber hue, such as you have noticed 

 when boiling it for the purpose of mak- 

 ing taffy. If heated to a still higher de- 

 gree, it turns brown, becomes less sweet, 

 and gradually takes on a bitter taste. 



Fig. 75. The Maple in summer. 



Old-fashioned brown sugar owed its 

 color and flavor, in part at least, to this treatment ; for, as sugar was 

 formerly made, in the process of evaporation over the open fire some of 

 the sugar was browned 

 or half burned. Cane- 

 sugar was formerly sold 

 more extensively than at 

 present in the form of 

 coarse brown sugar. To- 

 day, with the improved 

 methods of manufac- 



Fig. 78. Shows a branch 

 of the Maple when 

 growth again be- 

 comes active. 



Fig. 7G. The Maple leaf and key. Fig. 77. The Maple when it l)leecls. 



ture, we see very little cane-sugar placed on our markets in this form. 

 You might think that cane-sugar, from its name, is found only in 



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