46 

 UTILIZATION OF BY-PRODUCTS. 



Waste molasses from the sugar factory contains a good proportion 

 of sucrose and reducing sugars, besides other organic materials, and 

 ash, as is shown by the analysis of 3rd molasses. The sucrose and 

 reducing sugars together make up about 50^ of it. The customary 

 disposition of this waste molasses is to use it in making alcohol. Even 

 when alcohol is made there is a residue of some value; but when al- 

 cohol is not made, the disposal of waste molasses becomes a question 

 of considerable importance. 



While factory control in some countries has been reduced to a fine 

 system particularly in tracing the losses and in handling the first prod- 

 ucts to get the greatest amount of sugar out of the cane, little has 

 been done towards pointing out satisfactory ways of utilizing waste 

 molasses other than in making alcohol, and, of late years, making it 

 into stock food. * 



Efforts have been made to burn the molasses with the bagasse to 

 secure the potash in its ash for fertilizer. If the potash in an available 

 condition could be obtained by this method, the process would be a 

 good one; but it is doubtful whether all tht potash could be obtained 

 in an available form on account of the high heat which might either 

 volatilize a part of it, or fuse it with the silica contained in the ba- 

 gasse ashes, which would make a slag of very little account. 



Some estates run the waste molasses directly on to the soils in the 

 irrigation waters. It has been found that on soils containing only a 

 fair amount of lime, irrigating water containing \% molasses produced 

 no immediate deteriorating effects on the cane. Many of the calcarious 

 soils of Peru could stand a greater percentage for a short period at 

 least, since the acids in the molasses produced by fermentation would 

 be partly neutralized by the lime and other compounds. One danger 

 in putting much molasses on soils containing white alkali is 

 that it might have a tendency to produce black alkali. It maybe 

 interesting to mention that at Cartavio, the discharged waters from 



* In 1899, we made experiments with the idea of utilizing waste molasses and suc- 

 ceeded in using it in making calcium carbide for acetylene gas; when burned, the gas gave 

 the characteristic acetyl ene flame. The experiment was carried on at that time with 

 the hope that satisfactory acetylene motors might be constructed for use in pumping 

 water. In this way the waste molasses would be disposed of on the estate. The refuse 

 from the exhausted carbide would have some fertilizing value, 



