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THE CUBA REVIEW 



STANDARDIZATION OF MOLASSES 



The Louisiana Planter has something to 

 say about the standardization of molas- 

 ses. The advice given is sound and is 

 worth being noted by sugar makers in 

 the West Indies. The molasses from 

 some of them has already a good reputa- 

 tion in the market, but the standard must 

 be maintained if the market is to be re- 

 tained. 



The article referred to says that there 

 is a considerable need of standardizing 

 first molasses. By a very simple change 

 of method it is possible to turn out a first 

 molasses corresponding to any desired 

 requirement. First molasses may be met 

 with which would pass for syrup, with a 

 purity of over 60, and also first molasses 

 with a purity of about 45. It is possible 

 to make this purity anything by capping 

 off first strikes with greater or less quan- 

 tities of first molasses. In dealing with 

 high purity juices, it is necessary to do 

 this to some extent as a rule, even in 

 making granulated 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 50-53 when made from sugar- 

 cane is an excellent, palatable foodstuff, 

 and might be used in every household, if 

 it were not for the peculiar fact that 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. There seems to be no 

 good reason why it could not be made in 

 standard quality, and sold in gallon cans 

 in almost unlimited quantity direct to the 

 consumer. As matters stand, 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 considerably re- 

 duced price, and of considerably better 

 quality. 



It is also possible to turn out a second 

 molasses with any purity from about 32 

 to 40. 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 exist no present 

 market — a state of affairs, however, 

 which is by no means necessary. As a 

 step forward towards creating a direct 

 market for both first and second molas- 

 ses, these articles should be standardized, 

 particularly as to purity. Buyers have 

 hitherto attached entirely too much im- 

 portance to color. What the consumer 

 mostly desires, however, is flavor, and 

 this seems to be mostly dependent upon 

 purity. 



THE SUGAR INDUSTRY IN BRAZIL 



The problem of the sugar industry in 

 Brazil is at present attracting the widest 

 attention among both planters and ex- 

 porters of this country. No Brazilian in- 

 dustry seems at this time to be in a 

 more precarious condition, due mainly to 

 two reasons — the lack of modern indus- 

 trial equipment and the need of a highly 

 specialized administration of exportation. 



As a remedy for the first condition, it 

 is becoming patent to the sugar growers 

 in Brazil that larger mills, capable of the 

 greatest production, and equipped with 

 the most modern machinery, must be 

 substituted for the present small and 

 antiquated types; and that the cultivable 

 portions of sugar land, especially in such 

 localities as Campos, State of Parahyba, 

 must be more fully developed by the in- 

 troduction of modern agricutural machin- 

 ery. 



In the matter of exportation of sugar, 

 it is considered of vital importance, in 

 view of the inevitable post-bellum com- 

 mercial expansion and competition, that 

 means be taken — possibly in a national 

 conference called to discuss the problem 

 — to coordinate all activities in this di- 

 rection. Attention is being called to the 

 fact that the United States is erecting 

 large sugar mills in the Philippine 

 Islands, in addition to those already in 

 operation in Hawaii and Porto Rico; that 

 Cuba, under the influence of the best of 

 market prices, is developing its sugar 

 plantations proportionately beyond ex- 

 pectation; and that both Germany and 

 Austria will very soon have reestablished 

 their formerly extensive beet-sugar in- 

 dustries. 



