54 REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF AGRICULTURE, 



The apparatus used in the experiments, besides a few barrels and 

 pails for holding the juice, consisted of a copper tank of the following 

 dimensions: 4 feet 3 inches long, 2 feet 3 inches tleep, 2 feet 3 inches 

 wide; a galvanized iron jian 9 feet long, 8 inches deep, 3 feet 6 inches 

 wide. This iron pan was surrounded by a wooden frame of 2-inch plank 

 so as to support the sides, and each pan was i)laced in brickwork with 

 chimney, and so arranged as to permit a fire to be kept below it in direct 

 contact with the bottom. In the case of the copper tank the flames 

 played about the sides also, so as to heat the contents more rapidly. 

 The galvanized iron pan was such as could readily be constructed 

 by any ordinary tinsmith or mechanic. The copper tank was used for 

 defecation with lime; the galvanized iron pan for evaporation. The 

 process, in brief, is as follows: After topping and stripping the corn or 

 sorghum, it was passed tlirough the mill, and when sufficient juice had 

 been obtained it was heated in the copper tank to a temperature of 

 82° C.=180o F. After the juice had reached this temperature, there 

 was added to it, with stirring, cream of lime, until a piece of litmus 

 paper dipped in the juice showed a purple or bluish-purple color. The 

 heat was now raised to the boiling point, and, so soon as the juice was 

 in good ebulition, the fire was drawn and a thick scum removed from 

 the surface of the juice. After a few minutes the sediment from the 

 juice subsided, and by means of a siphon the clear liquid was decanted 

 ofl:', leaving a muddy sediment which was equal to about one-tenth to 

 one-twentieth of the bulk of the juice. It was found that by means of the 

 stop-cock at the bottom of the defecator, it was possible to draw off the 

 clarified juice more thoroughly than by means of the siphon, so that 

 this method has been adopted for removing the juice. It is only neces- 

 sary to collect in a separate vessel the first portions of juice coming from 

 the stop-cock, which are turbid, and passing these through the bag filter 

 with the sediment. This muddy sediment was then drawn off by means 

 of a stop-cock and filtered through a plaited-bag filter, and the clear fil- 

 trate therefrom was added to the liquid previously siphoned off. The 

 clarified juice, which, during the above operation, is not allowed to cool 

 below a temperature of 66° 0. or 150^ F., was now emptied into the 

 evaporating pan, a.nd there was added to it, with stirring, a solution of 

 sulphurous acid in water until the lime present was neutralized, as was 

 shown by the reddening of litmus paper when it was dipped in the juice. 

 The evaporation was now hastened as much as possible, and the juice 

 concentrated to a sirup at a boding point of 112° C, equal to 234° F. 

 or thereabouts. During the close of the evaporation there is great dan- 

 ger of scorching the sirup, and this was obviated by allowing only coals 

 beneath the evaporator and briskly stirring the sirup by means of pad- 

 dles 8 or 10 inches wide. When the sirup reached the density above 

 indicated it was drawn off into wooden tubs, the fire having previously 

 been drawn from beneath the evaporator. 



It is doubtless true that many failures result in securing a crystal- 

 lizable sirup even from good juice, owing to the operations of i)ressing 

 of the cane, defecation, and evaporation being too much protracted. In 

 order that those wishing to enter upon this industry may know what is 

 practically attainable, even with common appliances, the following data 

 are given: 



In experiment l^o. 3, 2,107 pounds of topped stalks of Early Amber 

 cane were pressed by the mill in 3|- hours, yielding 975 i^ounds of juice. 

 The time required for heating the juice, defecation with lime, and 

 evai)oration to sirup was 5| hours. In order that the inferior character 

 of tlje material supplied for these experiments might be known, speci. 



