370 SORGHUM. 



case, we have also cousidered the organic matters not sugars as capa- 

 ble of holding in the molasses their own weight of sucrose, while in 

 the caue molasses this is seen not to be the case. On the other hand, 

 the molasses from sugar beets is found to contain but sliglit amounts 

 of elucose, but a very much larger amount of sucrose, and this is held 

 in solution by the ash present, composed largely of potash salts, which 

 have been shown by the experiments of INIarschall and La Grange (La 

 Sucrerie Indiginic, X., 259) able to hold from 3 to 6 times their 

 weight of sugar in the molasses. 



SUCRATES OF LIME AND STRONTIA. 



In the manufacture of beet sugar, owing to the fact that the mo- 

 lasses is of such quality as to unfit it for any domestic use, efforts have 

 been made to secure from it the crystallizable sugar which it contains, 

 and one of the most successful methods has been to combine the sugar 

 with lime, to form the basic sucrate of lime, which may be then sepa- 

 rated from the glucose and other impurities of the molasses, and from 

 this sucrate the sugar is obtained by converting the lime into carbonate 

 of lime, and thus setting free the sugar. 



Since this process has been by some recommended as one by which 

 the sugar from sorghum or maize stalks might l)c procured readily, in 

 a condition such as to enable it to be sent to central factories, or be- 

 come an article of commerce, the process of its preparation will be 

 given. The compound of sugar and lime is known as the tri-basic 

 sucrate of lime, and consists, when pure, of one molecule (342 parts 

 by weight) of sugar, and three molecules (168 parts by weight) of 

 lime, or 67 per cent sugar and 33 per cent lime. 



Its preparation from molasses or syrup is as follows : The molasses 

 is mixed with about one-quarter its weight of lime, when the mass 

 solidifies, and, after cooling, it is broken up and washed with water, by 

 which the greater part of the impurities are removed, the compara- 

 tively insoluble sucrate of lime being left behind. But, owing to the 

 partial solubility of the sucrate, much of the sugar is thus lost, and, 

 instead of water, alcohol of about 35 per cent is used to wash the mass, 

 the alcohol being again recovered by distillation. It is necessary to 

 have lime sufficient to fully saturate the sugar present, since several 

 other compounds of lime and sugar may be formed which are far more 

 soluble than the tri-basic sucrate; and besides this compound, wliile 

 comparatively insoluble iu water, is readily soluble in a solution of 

 sugar. Owing to the ease with which it would seem that this com- 

 pound might be prepared, its convenience for shipping or storage, since 

 it is said to keep unchanged for long periods, it is to be hoped that ex- 



