SUGAR FROM SORGHUM 229 



From analysis of the scum the quantity of the sugar in it was 

 found to be equal to that of the juice. 1 Thus a source of waste 

 is prevented. 



The maximum yield of sugar can be obtained from car- 

 bonization, but it is fatal to the manufacture of molasses, as 

 it darkens too much the juice. But Dr. Wiley has suggested a 

 modification of the process, which, he believes, will prevent 

 this difficulty. 2 



From the last " Chemical Bulletin of the Agricultural De- 

 partment," 3 published since the Fort Scott experiments, 

 the chemist in charge, in a general review of the work, points 

 to the "absolute failure of the experiments to demonstrate 

 the commercial practicability of manufacturing sorghum 

 sugar." Among the causes of this failure he mentions: 



"i. Defective machinery for cutting the cane and for ele- 

 vating and cleaning the chips and for removing exhausted 

 chips. 



"2. The deterioration of the cane, due to much of it be- 

 coming over ripe, but chiefly to the fact that time would gener- 

 ally elapse after the canes were cut before they reached the 

 diffusion batteries. 



"3. The deteriorated cane caused a considerable inver- 

 sion of the sucrose in the battery an inversion which was 

 increased by the delay in furnishing chips, owing to the de- 

 fects of machinery." 



The chemist in charge of these experiments states that he 

 should be glad to "leave this industry in a more promising 

 condition. All admit that the process of diffusion has been 

 successfully worked out." And to this opinion Dr. Wiley 

 subscribed, "with the reservation that a proper mechanical 

 method for distributing over the chips a substance to prevent 

 inversion of the sucrose has not yet been discovered." 



There is a difference of opinion as to the best method of 

 treating the diffusion juices. Some method of purification by 

 carbonatation or other means, may easily be decided on. But 



1 Bui. No. 5, Chem. Div. Dept. of Agr., p. 57. 



2 Bui. No. 14, Chem. Div. Dept. of Agr., p. 40. 



3 Ibid. 



