718 



GRAMINE^. 



Barbados/ and Jamaica/ produce afc preseat the largest quantity of 

 sugar. 



Production — No crystals are found in the parenchyme of the cane, 

 the sugar existing as an aqneous solution, chiefly within the cells of the 

 centre' of the stem. The transverse section of the cane exhibits numerous 

 fibro-vascular bundles, scattered through the tissue, as in other monoco- 

 tyledonous stems; yet these bundles are most abundant towards the 

 exterior, where they form a dense ring covered with a thin epidermis, 

 which is very hard by reason of the silica which is deposited in it.^ Iii 

 the centre of the stem the vascular bundles are few in nuuiber ; the 

 parenchyme is far more abundant, and contains in its thin-AvaUed cells 

 an almost clear solution of sugar, with a few small starch granules and 

 a little soluble albuminous matter. This last is met with in larger 

 quantity in the cambial portion of the vascular bundles. Pectic prin- 

 ciples are combined with the walls of the medullary cells, which how- 

 ever do not swell much in water (Wiesner). 



From these glances at the microscopical structure of the cane, the 

 process to be followed for obtaining the largest possible quantity of 

 sugar becomes evident. This would consist in simply macerating thin 

 slices of the cane in water, which would at once penetrate the paren- 

 chyme loaded with sugar, without much attacking the fibro-vascular 

 bundles containing more of albuTninous than of saccharine matter. By 

 this method, the epidermal layer of the cane would not become saturated 

 with sugar, nor would it impede its extraction,— results which necessarily 

 follow when the cane is crushed and pressed/ 



The process hitherto generally practised in the colonies,*— that of 

 extracting the juice of the cane by crushing and pressing, — has been 

 elaborately described and criticised by Dr. leery of Mauritius.^ In that 

 island, the cane, six varieties of which are cultivated, is when mature 

 composed of Cellulose, 8 to 12 per cent. ; Sugar, 18 to 21 ; Water, includ- 

 ing albuminous matter and salts, 67 to 73. Of the entire quantity of 

 juice in the cane, from 70 to 84 per cent, is extracted for evaporation, 

 and yields in a crystalline state about three-fifths of the sugar which 

 the cane originally contained. This juice, called in French vesou, has on 



an average the following composition -. 



Albuminous matters 003 



Granular matter (starch ?) . , . 

 Mucilage containing nitrogen 

 Salts, mostly of organic acids^ 

 Sugar 



Water 



« 4 



« ■ « 



t • 



* r 



* V 



4 * 



t * 



t « 



• * 



' • f 



* 4 



* * t 



t 4 



m ^ # 



4 « ' 



• « « 



9 * t 



4 • 



010 



0-22 



0-29 



18-36 



8100 



^ 38,013 hhds. in 1876. 

 ^29,074 hhds.inl 876. 



1 AAo^^^^ "^ American sugar cane, dried at 

 mo O., yielded 4 per cent of ash, n<iarly 

 half of which was silica.— Popp, in Wiggers' 

 Jakreshericht, 1870. 35. 



* The plan of obtaining a syrup by mace- 

 rating the sliced fresh cane, las been tried 

 m Ouadalonpe, but abandoned owiiiff to 

 some practical difficulties in exhausting the 

 cane and in carrying on the evaporation of 

 the liquors with sufficient rapidity Ex- 

 penmeuts for extracting a pure synip by 



lOOOO 



means of cold water from the sliced and 

 drhd canC) seem to promise good results. 



See a paper by Dr. H. S. Mitchell in Jota'n- 



ofSoc, of Arts, Oct. 23, 1S68. 



^ Ayuiales da. Ohlmk et de Pki/siq'Ue, v. 

 (lSr>5) .350-4] 0— See also, for Cuba, Alvaro 

 Reynoso Knsayo sobre tl cuUivo de la caM 

 de Azucar, Madrid. 1SG5. 35a~F(>r British 

 Guiana, CataL of Contrihui ions from But. 

 Guiana to Park Exhih. 1867.pp.xxxviii.-xh. 



*• Aconiik Acid (p. 11) has been met 

 with by Behr (1877) in West Indian 

 molasses. 



