STATE HORTIOCTLTURAL SOCIETY. 133 



The juice obtained by diffusion has not yet turned out a product 

 •equal in quality to that obtained by milling. Diffusion employs three 

 very active agents or factors — time, heat and pressure, and with these 

 affords a liberal opportunity for the full action of atmospheric influ- 

 ences. Milling employs but one agent — pressure. A careful exam- 

 ination of the statements made shows the relative bearings of these 

 methods. 



Briefly, milling with a much higher grade product than diffusion, 

 while the latter furnishes about one-third more in quantity. 



Diffusion is a long stride ahead, but it is self-evident that it is yet 

 in a crude form. Whether it will be found practicable to materially 

 reduce the amount of time consumed in the process, as well as the 

 volume of added water and the amount of coloring and other matter 

 extracted with the sugar, and whether the cost of the plant can be 

 reduced to bring it within the ability of the average manufacturer to 

 purchase, remains to be classed with improvements yet to be made. 



Prof. Porter said he had hoped Prof. Swenson, the director of the 

 works at Fort Scott, would be present at this meeting, but he had been 

 detained by storms, etc. He had received a letter from him stating 

 he had just returned from Texas, and had not received the letter sent 

 him requesting a report of their operations there till it was too late to 

 comply with the request. Prof. Porter described the process of man- 

 ufacture of sugar and syrup there and at the works at Hio Grande, 

 New Jersey. 



By the process followed at Rio Grande they had secured one hun- 

 dred and thirty-five pounds of sugar to the ton of cane this past sea- 

 son. With Southern cane the yield is about two hundred and twenty 

 pounds of sugar to the ton. The Southern cane was ahead of the 

 Northern, but when the question of seed and everything was consid- 

 ered, honors were about even. 



He thought this whole subject of Amber cane culture had been con- 

 ducted improperly in this State as an industrj^ and there was a de- 

 parture from the objects contemplated when the Association was 

 organized, some twelve years ago. They had heard of the old adage 

 about spoiling a most beautiful horn in order to make a spoon. The 

 object had in view was the manufacture of syrup for home consump- 

 tion in Minnesota, an enterprise entirely feasible and not requiring 

 much machinery. Too much attention had been given to experiments 



