482 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



\ Have a safety plug, or the retort is liable to explode by the least misman- 

 Bgement. 



Make sure of these four points, and you will never complain of your retort. To 

 prevent misunderstanding, I -will say in this connection that I am in no way con- 

 nected with or interested in the manufacture or sale of these machines, nor am I ad- 

 vised as to what the Ladoga Bisulphate Apparatus Company intend to do in the 

 future. Last season I rendered them all the assistance possible, for the sake of 

 the sorgo industry, and believe it has resulted in great good. My opinion is that 

 the time has come when som» reliable firm handling cane machinery should take 

 up this matter and treat it as all other machinery necessary to our industry. I am 

 ready to render any desired assistance to such a firm. 



DISCUSSION. 



Fro/. Wiley. The fact that bisulphate of lime or sulphur fumes will prevent 

 fermentation of sugar, and in many parts of Europe bone black is supplanted by 

 sulphur, because it is cheaper. It is thought by some — and the best sugar authori- 

 ties — that bone black will be discontinued ; and for raw sugars and common, re- 

 finers believe the sulphur will supersede bone black altogether. 



Dr. Furnas. Is cast iron the best for a retort for making bisulphate of lime? 



Prof. Wiley. It is best, and practically reliable. 



E. W. Deming. The discussion is hinged on making good syrup. I have been 

 studying some on the proper way to handle the juice to make the best quality of 

 syrup. It requires thorough defecation and constant evaporation,, with about 238 

 degrees of heat. 



Prof. Wiley. The only proper way of applying a degree of temperature is in 

 closed vessels. I have thought extended defecation and evaporation would be best. 

 I made last year a trial of this method ; I took a steam pipe six inches in diameter, 

 and put a three-inch copper pipe, which was forced through this, after defecating 

 with bisulphate and lime, with a power of eighty pounds to the square inch. So 

 in passing through this pipe, it was readily brought to this temperature, and what 

 escaped was almost all steam. But the defecation was imperfect, while albumen 

 coagulated there in small particles as fine as silk, which rendered it impossible to get 

 it through the filter properly. 



W. L. Anderson. If that is the only difficulty, why could they not turn cold 

 water through ? 



Prof. Wiley. They did that there, but it is too great expense of fuel to heat up 

 and cool down. 



Dr. Furnas offered a resolution instructing this society, at its next annual meet- 

 ing, to pay a premium of three dollars for the best quart of sorghum syrup, and 

 two dollars for the second best. To this, A. Chapman said he would add to the first 

 premium, one of their fifteen dollar pans, and to the second premium, The Sorghum. 

 Growers' Guide and Farm Journal, for one year. All of which was agreed to, and a 

 vote of thanks tendered Mr. Chapman for his liberality. 



Then Prof. Wiley oflered gratuitously to make analysis of such articles thus 

 entered for the premium, if sent to hiqi at Washington. This was also accepted 

 with thanks. 



