THE COMPOSITION OF THE SUGAR CANE 



COMPOSITION OF SUGAR CANE ASH. 



1. Lahaina cane, leaves, tops and dead cane. 2. Lahaina cane, stalks. 3. Yellow 

 Caledonia cane, leaves, tops and dead cane. 4. Yellow Caledonia cane, stalks. Analyses 

 due to Maxwell 1 in Hawaii. 5. Cheribon cane, leaves. 6. Cheribon cane, stalks. 

 Analyses due to Van Lookeren Campagne 1 5 in Java. 7 and 8. Stalks of Mauritius canes. 

 Analyses due to Boname. 16 9. Leaves of Egyptian canes. 10. Stalks of Egyptian 

 canes. Analyses due to Popp. 13 11. Leaves of D 74 cane. 12. Stalks of D 74 cane. 

 13. Roots of "D 74 cane. Analyses due to Hall 2 in Louisiana. 



Organic Acids of the Cane. In earlier researches a great number of 

 organic acids have been stated to be present in the cane, many of which 

 have not been found by later workers. The most detailed investigation 

 is due to Yoder, 17 who, in Louisiana, found per 100 c.c. of cane juice 0-05 

 gram aconitic acid, 0*00077 gram malic acid, and 0-00004 gram oxalic acid. 

 He did not find tartaric, citric or succinic acids. On the other hand, citric 

 acid was positively identified and isolated in quantity by Shorey 18 from the 

 deposit on the tubes of an evaporator working up juice from canes in Hawaii 

 which had been damaged by a long drought. Acetic acid is a constituent 

 of damaged cane. The original recognition of aconitic as the dominant 

 acid is due to Behr, 19 in 1877. 



Gums. These bodies, also referred to as pectin and alcoholic precipitate, 

 are of uncertain composition. They occur in the cane up to 0*2 per cent., 

 and are present in largest proportion in unripe cane. They are insoluble 

 in acidified alcohol, and are absorbed by animal and vegetable carbons. 

 They are derived from the hemicelluloses of the fibre and consist chiefly of 

 xylan, araban and galactan. Part are precipitated in manufacture and 

 part find their way to the molasses. 



Wax. This mixture of bodies, first observed by Avequin, 20 occurs on 

 the exterior of the cane. It may amount to 0-05 per cent, of the cane, 

 and in some varieties is almost absent. It has been exhaustively studied 

 by Wijnberg 21 , who finds that 70 per cent, of the crude body consists of 

 glycerides of oleic, linolic, palmitic, and stearic acids, together with hydroxy- 

 acids, resin acids, lecithins, phylosterol, aromatic and colouring matters. 

 The remaining 30 per cent, contains about 45 per cent, of myricyl alcohol 

 and 35 per cent, of a non-primary crystalline alcohol. These data refer 

 to the benzene soluble bodies. Cane wax has now become an article of 

 commerce. 



