MANUAL FOR SUGAR GROWERS. 129 



These cells are very minute, measuring on an 

 average about :roVo ^^ ^^ inch in diameter, so that 

 the enormous number of 64,000,000,000 could go 

 into the space of one cubic inch. 



The change of sugar into alcohol is due to the 

 life and growth of this particular organism. The 

 sugar may be regarded as its food, and the alcohol 

 as its waste product. Now, there are a great variety 

 of these ferments, each of which produces certain 

 definite changes. Thus we have the alcoholic fer- 

 ment ; the acetic ferment, which converts alcohol into 

 acetic acid ; the viscous ferment, which converts 

 cane-juice into a thick, ropy fluid ; the lactic fer- 

 ment, which produces lactic acid ; and many others. 

 If any one of these be placed in a suitable medium 

 it produces its own particular change. Hence, the 

 alcoholic ferment always produces alcohol ; the vis- 

 cous ferment, the gummy matter which thickens 

 the fluid and renders it ropy. The effect is just as 

 certain and definite with the minute organisms as 

 with larger ones, the resulting growths having the 

 character of the organism sown : just as we get a 

 maize crop if we sow maize, pigeon-peas if we plant 

 pigeon-peas, and cane if we plant cane. 



From this it follows that to get the best results it 

 is necessary to exercise some care in the selection 

 of the ferment when it is desired to convert sugar 

 into alcohol for commercial purposes ; for, if other 

 ferments be sown into the fermenting liquid, other 

 changes wdll go on at the expense of the sugar, less 

 alcohol thus resulting. 



Certain ferments require oxygen (air) for their 

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