EXTRACTION OF JUICE FROM CANE. 259 



of the stalk than at the ujDper portion. At each joint a leaf develops 

 alternately upon the side of the stalk, and, as the plant matures, those 

 leaves at the lower parts of the stalk gradually die. The leaves partly 

 enwrap the stalk, and then fall away in blades from 2 to 4 inches 

 in breadth, and from 2 to 3 feet in length. The stalk terminates in a 

 panicle (seed head), which is diffuse and spreading, or close and com- 

 pact, with seeds varying from brown to white, according to variety. 



By cutting across the stalk between the joints, and treating with a 

 solution of iodine, there are seen to exist numerous large fibers, about 

 each of which are clustered small cells of nitrogenous material, with 

 intermediate cells of ordinary cellulai tissue, containing the sugar in 

 solution. By splitting the stalk lengthwise through tlie joint, there is 

 shown, upon the application of iodine, a belt of highly nitrogenized 

 tissue, about one-eighth to three-sixteenth of an inch in w^idth, while 

 distributed along the portion of the stalk between the joints the blue 

 grains of starch appear. The exterior of the stalk is composed of 

 more compacted fibers of woody matter, enveloped in a hard siliceous 

 covering, much resembling the sugar-cane, but less hard. Like the 

 sugar-cane, a slight coating of a waxy substance (cerosie) covers the 

 stalk, especially at the joints. Except that the joints are not so close 

 on the sorghum, and that the stalk is softer in its structure and geur 

 erally less in diameter than the sugar-cane, the resemblance of the 

 stripped stalks of these two plants is very close. 



Owing to the fact, that the w-ater present in the juice of the plant is 

 ahvays far in excess of the amount necessary to hold the sugar in solu- 

 tion, there is no reason to be seen that the sugar is ever present in the 

 fresh cane in a solid form, as has sometimes been asserted. By means 

 of difiiision, the contents of the cells readily pass from one portion to 

 another of the plant; and during the life of the plant this circulation 

 is constantly going on, such matters of the juice as ai'e necessary being 

 supplied to the growing parts, w'hile the sugar, av hich is being elabo- 

 rated in the leaf cells, is accumulated in the cellular tissue of the 

 stalk, gradually increasing in quantity as the plant ajoproaches ma- 

 turity. 



3IiUs for Extracting Juice. 



The principle of nearly every mill for the extraction of juice from 

 cane or sorghum, at present in use, depends upon rupturing the cells 

 of the cane by pressure, and in this way expressing the juice. In 

 certain mills this pressure is estimated as equal to 1,200 pounds to the 

 square inch, or a pressure upon the entire roller of 300 tons. This 

 pressure is generally prodviced by three rolls — one upper and two 

 lower — the cane passing first between the upper and one of the lower 



