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crushed very fine, and the juice entirely separated from 

 them by the pressure of the rollers. 



Clarifying. This has been to me a difficult, and to 

 some extent an unsuccessful operation. All the various 

 methods recommended by different persons who have made 

 some experiments on corn-stalk sugar, and that all my own 

 experience in clarifying maple sugar could suggest, failed 

 of producing fully the desired effect. In all the failures 

 which have been experienced to produce crystallized 

 sugar, the cause should be sought here. Unless the juice 

 of corn-stalks can be clarified, it is vain to expect a pure 

 article of crystallized sugar. All the obstacles to the 

 complete success of this enterprise are met at this point ; 

 but that they will be completely overcome, there cannot 

 be the least doubt. Lime-water, applied to the juice as 

 soon as it comes from the mill, one gill to fifteen gallons, 

 was thought to produce the best effect. But experiments 

 were made with various other things, such as milk, eggs, 

 charcoal, etc. ; these were used separately and combined, 

 but nothing appeared to raise the scum as well, and ren- 

 der the juice as clear and well-flavored as the lime-water. 

 One experiment was made by filtering the juice through 

 sand and charcoal. This rendered it very transparent, 

 and improved the taste ; but there are very many objec- 

 tions to this process the length of time required for the 

 operation is a sufficient one. 



Straining. This operation is performed both before 

 and after clarifying. The strainer used was a square 

 yard of good new flannel, of fine texture ; so great is the 

 amount of mucilage, or very minute particles of the corn- 

 stalk contained in the juice, that the strainer has to be 

 rinsed in water once or twice in straining a batch. The 

 second time straining is rendered more difficult by the 

 juice being hot, as the hands have to be used in forcing 

 it through the cloth. As knowledge and experience is 

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