132 MAWUAL FOR SUGAR GROWERS. 



paper sliglitly red. All waste products containing 

 sugar, such as Avasliings of various appliances, skim- 

 mings, etc., should be sent to the distillery to be 

 utilised in setting up wash. 



A great deal has been said, though but little defi- 

 nite seems to be known, about the production of a 

 fine aroma and flavour in rum. This is no doubt 

 due to the formation of various ethers and comj)ound 

 ethers during the process of fermentation. Good 

 results in this direction appear to follow from set- 

 ting up the wash at a higher density than 8° B.,"say 

 from 10° to 13° B., allowing the fermentation to pro- 

 ceed slowly until all fermentation ceases, after which 

 the wash is kept for twenty -four hours before distil- 

 lation. Probably working in this way secondary fer- 

 mentations set in, as the action of the alcoholic fer- 

 ment becomes feeble. The subject is one which has 

 been but little studied, and would repay further in- 

 vestigation. There are, of course, two courses open 

 to the distiller : one, to produce rum when flavour 

 and aroma must be obtained even at some expense 

 of sugar, time, and trouble ; the other, to make recti- 

 fied spirit when quantity and freedom from aroma 

 and flavour will be the objects aimed at. 



When a solution of cane sugar is fermented under 

 the most favourable conditions, 100 pounds of cane 

 sugar yield 51.11 pounds of pure alcohol, or, in other 

 words, slightly over 100 pounds of proof spirit, or 

 10.9 gallons ; this is the theoretical yield, which is 

 never reached in actual practice. With good appli- 

 ances and careful working it ought to be possible to 

 obtain from eighty to eighty-five per cent, of the 



