86 THE CHINESE SUGAR CANE. 
between the second and third, if the engineer can get the 
blade of his knife between, he considers it about correct. 
The negroes throw the canes on to the carrier, which 
delivers them to the mill, they pass between the rollers 
slowly, while the juice spurts and streams down between 
and in all directions into the ‘juice pan,” from whence 
it flows by a canal either direct to the clarifiers or is 
pumped up into a receiver, and thence distributed where 
required. Meanwhile, the canes that have been crushed 
are no longer canes, but bagasse ; they are received from 
the carrier as before stated, and spread to dry in the sun, 
to be subsequently stored away in appropriate sheds for 
the fuel of next year. 
THE BATTERY. 
We have now “commenced crop;” the juice tank is 
full, and we must commence boiling; but, before doing 
so, we must describe the “ battery” or “train” of kettles, 
how they are placed, and what is the object of each; as 
also the preliminary operation of “testing” the juice. 
The juice generally stands at a strength of seven to eight 
degrees in November, and ten to eleven in March and 
April. 
TESTING THE JUICE. 
Immediately on the first juice running from the mill, 
the planter, if he be a working man, and there are many 
such even in Cuba, may be seen anxiously testing the 
amount of saccharine matter, or sugar, in his juice, for 
