11 



FLORIDA CANES. 



It is interesting to compare the canes of Georgia with some grown 

 below the frost line in Florida. The figures given in the following 

 table show that in southern Florida, where the canes continue to grow 

 throughout the winter without being frost-bitten, they attain a 

 remarkable degree of sweetness. There is a minimum quantity of 

 reducing sugar present which probably would be indicated as zero by 

 the ordinary volumetric method. It may be considered that the 

 a mounts of reducing sugar obtained in the mature cane were in most 

 cases due to the action of the reagents upon the cane sugar. In other 

 words the canes have apparently attained their normal maturity. 



The increasing richness of the canes is shown by comparing those 

 harvested in March with those from the same locality analyzed in 

 November. The cane received on November 11 contained 13.50 per 

 (< MI! of sucrose, while the canes from the same locality received on 

 March 31, and cut probably three days previously, contained 20.90 

 per cent of sucrose. The purity of the juice received on November 21 

 1 per cent, while that of the juice received on March 31 is 91.30 

 per cent, the richest cane ever analyzed in this Bureau. 



Canes of this degree of richness would be of exceptionally fine qual- 

 ity for sugar making, but it would be rather difficult to make a sirup 

 from them which would not crystallize. In other words, the ordinary 

 inversion from evaporation would scarcely be sufficient to prevent 

 crystallization of the finished product. 



TABLE III. Analyses of Florida canes. 



o Grown by H. L. Abel at Terra Ceia. 



TECHNICAL CONTROL OF THE FACTORY. 



The operation of the factory was under the control of Mr. G. R. 

 Youmans, special agent, assisted by Mr. Arthur Given, in charge of 

 the chemical work and technical control, and by Mr. O. P. Angelo. 

 The following extracts from the report of Mr. Given, together with 

 the analytical tables showing the quality of the products obtained 

 and the quantity of juice and sirup produced, set forth the main 

 points in the season's work. 



