54 SUGAR 



important, coagulates the albumen. The addition of 

 lime in the defecating pan not only neutralizes the 

 acidity of the juice but also combines with the albumen 

 and creates flocculent precipitates which carry down 

 with them a portion of the gummy impurities and also 

 all suspended substances, such as fibre, wax, colouring 

 matter, and the dirt which had adhered to the canes. 

 The albumen is almost if not entirely removed. The 

 gums and pectine, a gelatinous substance akin to gum, 

 are reduced to about half their quantity, and the 

 quotient of purity is raised about two per cent. 



But great skill and care are necessary in this process 

 of clarification. Too little lime fails to carry away all 

 the acids, albumen and gummy matters, and the 

 precipitation is imperfect and slow. Too much lime, 

 on the other hand, attacks the glucose, combines with 

 the resulting organic acids and forms viscous substances 

 very injurious not only to the subsequent crystallization 

 but even to the body of the sugar itself. The exact 

 point of right quantity can be ascertained by rough 

 experiment easily carried out, but it all depends upon 

 the operator that this shall be done correctly. In mak- 

 ing raw sugar for the refiner the object of the operator 

 is to keep the juice as nearly neutral as possible, but 

 with a slight tendency towards alkalinity. This secures 

 that the resulting sugar, when crystallized, shall not be 

 acid and, therefore, shall not deteriorate in quality. 



But there is much sugar made now, roughly called 

 " Demerara sugar," which is intended to be consumed 

 in the form of raw sugar. Large quantities of sugar 

 were, in former days, consumed in the raw state. They 

 were the superior kinds of muscovado sugar, from 

 Barbadoes, Jamaica and Porto Rico. It was only 

 the lighter coloured varieties with a yellowish tinge 

 which were good enough for the grocer. They were 



