SUGAR. 



419 



order that, as the juice became reduced in quantity, it would still be sufficient to fill the 

 kettles, and prevent any portion of the metal from becoming overheated. By this means the 

 defecation is very imperfect, owing to the scum being constantly mingled with the juice, and 

 prevented from separating 

 by the constant boiling, 

 while the dipping from 

 the first kettle to the 

 second, then from the 

 second to the third, and 

 so on to the last, hinders 

 the crystallization of the 

 syrup, also darkens both 

 syrup and sugar by the 

 prolonged boiling and im 

 perfect separation of it 

 from the impurities it con 

 tained. It also required 

 considerable fuel in pro 

 portion to the amount of 

 labor performed. A great 

 improvement on the &quot;ket 

 tle train &quot; is the use of flat- 

 bottom pans arranged 

 with compartments, and 

 an apparatus for skim 

 ming automatically, also a 

 strike-pan. 



The use of steam for 

 evaporating is preferable 

 to fire, as it admits of a 

 more uniform heat, or a 

 heat that can be better 

 controlled, and is at the 

 same time more expediti 

 ous. There is, also, .no 

 danger from burning, the 

 heating surface being im 

 mersed in the liquid, 

 through pipes, while it 

 economizes fuel and labor. 

 One of the most reliable 

 authorities on sugar-mak 

 ing states as follows, re 

 specting the use of steam 

 in this connection: 



&quot; The most perfect 

 method of sugar-making 

 is found in the&quot; connected steam train. This consists of a series of vessels of different sizes, 

 arranged in order, and all supplied within with steam-heating pipes, connected by branches 

 with a main pipe from the boiler. 



