New Process for refining Sugar. 



155 



To Mr. Tilloch. 



yiRj_I becT to a?k for information of sonrie of your cor- 

 respondents, "respecting the cause of an optical phaenome- 

 non, for an explanation of which I have in vam looked in 

 books. 



Surveying lately through a compound microscope at a 

 friend's,' on'e of the siide'rs, I was struck by the figures 

 which I knew to be impressed upon it appearing to my 

 siffht to be in relief; and was still more surprised to find, 

 (h'at to my friend, who at my request looked through the 

 microscope, they retained their' actual impressed appearance. 

 I then put one of the old penny pieces under the glass, and 

 the letters indented round the margin appeared m relief, 

 while the head seemed as obviously excavated ; yet to my 

 friend's eve, as well as to that of a lady present, the na- 

 tural appearances only presented themselves. I am not 

 aware of anv peculiarity in my visual organs, except that 

 of beiuii in a slight degree short-sighted, which does not 

 seem sufficient to account for the difference. 



lam, sir, your most obedient servant, 



^ S. P. 



NEW PROCESS FOR REFINING SUGAR. 



A valuable and simple process has lately been discovered 

 by Edward Howard, Esq. F. R. S. for refining sugar, which 

 nromises lo be of great advantage. The following is aa 

 outline of tiie process, but a m^ore detailed account of it 

 may be expected to be published by that gentleman him- 

 .^^elf :-^" Take brown sugar, sift it through a coarse sieve, 

 then put it lightly into any conical vessel having holes at 

 the bottoiTi (like a coffee machine). Then mix some brown 

 sugar with white svrup, that is, syrup of refined sugar, to 

 ihe consistency of batter or thick cream, and pour it fjcntly 

 on the top of the sugar in the vessel till the surface is co- 

 vered. The syrup will soon be^iin to percolate, and leave 

 the surface in a state which will allow more syrup to be 

 poured upon it, wliich is to be done carefully. The treacle 

 will be found to come out at the bottom, having left the 

 whole mass perfectly white. The first droppings are to be 

 kept apart, as the last will serve to begin another operation. 

 '1 he sugar is now in a pure state, exc-.-pt as to its contain- 

 ing insoluble matter, M-hich may of course be separated by 

 sofulion in water.— The clarification is to be performed by 

 the best pipe-clay and fuller's- earth, and the addition of 



neutral 



