SUGAR. 387 



could be supplied thence with sugar of a quality quite 

 equal to that of West-India manufacture, and at a 

 considerably lower cost. 



The manufacture of sugar is a somewhat complica- 

 ted process, requiring for its successful performance 

 not only some degree of chemical knowledge, but 

 likewise a considerable amount of practical experience. 

 We must content ourselves here with giving the 

 merest outline of the operations, referring the reader 

 who is curious in such matters to books wherein the 

 whole details are given. 



When the canes are fully ripe they are cut close to 

 the stole, and being then divided into convenient 

 lengths, are tied up in bundles, and conveyed to the 

 mill. This always consists of three iron cylinders, 

 sometimes standing perpendicularly in. a line with 

 each other, and at other times placed horizontally, 

 and disposed in the form of a triangle, and so ad- 

 justed that the canes, on being passed twice between 

 the cylinders of either kind of mill, shall have all their 

 juice expressed. This is collected in a cistern, and 

 must be immedrately placed under process by heat 

 to prevent its becoming acid, an effect which has 

 sometimes commenced as early as twenty minutes 

 from the time of its being expressed. A certain quan- 

 tity of lime in powder, or of lime-water, is added at 

 this time to promote the separation of the feculent 

 matters contained in the juice ; and these being as far 

 as possible removed at a heat just sufficient to cause 

 the impurities to collect together on the surface, the 

 cane liquor is then subjected to a very rapid boiling, 

 in order to evaporate the watery particles, and bring 

 the syrup to such a consistency that it will granulate 

 on cooling. The quantity of sugar obtainable from 

 a given measure of cane-juice varies according to 

 the season, the soil, the period of the year, and the 

 quality of the canes ; but it may be calculated, that, 



