136 THE CHINESE SUGAR CANE. 
ed the tufts, carts them to the mill as fast as he can con 
veniently grind them. The juice runs through a tin 
pipe into a tub, or box, painted on the inside, or a large 
wooden reservoir, lined with tin, lead, or sheet copper, 
either of which should at all times be kept scrupulously 
clean. In this, those only using Mr. Wray’s patent can — 
add the lime to clarify the juice in the cold state, and from 
thence pump or bail it into the boiler, where, as the heat 
rises to from 120° to 180° Fah., the dilute infusion of pow- 
dered nutgallsis introduced. The syrup is then carried to 
the boiling point, when the fire is at once checked, the 
syrup stands for about fifteen or twenty minutes, to give 
the scum a chance to rise and be skimmed off; the fire is 
then urged again. The syrup then is kept boiling until 
reduced to the proper consistency. This precise degree 
is ascertained by the insertion of a little glass or metallic 
instrument called a “syrup guage.” These may be had 
of Messrs. Pike and Son of New York, opticians, or Mr. 
Jno. W. Reid, or any other respectable sugar-apparatus 
maker. My friend, Dr. Robert Battey, has prepared a 
syrup guage, on which he has marked but one degree, 
and it is thus rendered so extremely simple that any 
farmer, or farmer’s laborer, can always tell the exact 
moment of its arriving at the ‘proof point.” The draw- 
back to it is that itis made of glass, and is thus liable, un- 
less securely packed, to be broken in being transported, 
and when in use, otherwise the idea is an excellent one. 
For the benefit of such as do not wish to purchase 
the right to use Mr. Wray’s patent, which all should, 
I subjoin the directions given by Dr. Battey in Mr. Red- 
mond’s pamphlet : 
