328 SOBGHUM. 



built under one end and passing beneath each copper in succession 

 to the chimney. This row of boilers is known as a "battery," and as 

 the "copper wall." The several boilers are known as " the grande," 

 it being the largest; "the flambeau," since it is just touched by the 

 flames of the furnace ; " the syrup," since in it the juice is concentrated 

 to a syrup; and " the battery," or "strike," since from this the con- 

 centrated syrup is ' ' struck " or dipped off into the coolers for crystal- 

 lization. 



The defecated juice is added to the largest pan nearest the chimney, 

 and, as the juice becomes more and more concentrated, it is generally, 

 by means of ladles, dipped from the one to the other until it reaches 

 the last of the series, where it is evaporated to that degree of concen- 

 tration which is found necessary. It is then ladled into coolers, and 

 allowed to stand for crystallization, when the molasses is drained from 

 the sugar, which is known in the trade as " muscovado." 



In this process, a very large amount of sugar is lost through the 

 high heat of the pans, which chars a jiortion of the sugar and darkens 

 the product; but its simplicity and low cost is such, that, even at the 

 present day, large quantities of sugar are thus produced. The same 

 principle, although greatly perfected in details, is involved in a large 

 number of evaporators in general use throughout the country for the 

 production of syrup and sugar from sorghum. These need not be 

 separately described, but the several points which constitute their im- 

 pi-oveinents over the Jamaica Train of the Creoles may be briefly men- 

 tioned : 



1. The smaller quantity of juice under evaporation at any given 

 time, thus proportionately diminishing the amount of inversion of su- 

 gar, and thus increasing the yield, owing to the rapidity Avith which 

 the water is removed. 



2. The protection of all portions of the evaporators not covered with 

 juice or syrup fi-om the direct contact with fire, and thus lessening the 

 production of caramel and other products, which, besides destroying 

 sugar, darken the syruj:). 



3. The introduction of devices for removing the scum during the 

 concentration of the syrup, this greatly diminishing the labor of man- 

 ufacture and the loss in sugar through this operation. 



4. The arrangement of dampers beneath the several compartments 

 of the pan, which in function correspond to the four boilers of the Ja- 

 maica Train, so that the heat may be moderated under each, or, as is 

 necessary when the syrup after sufficient concentration is to be re- 

 moved from the last pan, may be entirely shut off. 



5. The very great reduction in cost in the apparatus necessary to the 



