20 



mill was difficult, ami the amount of fuel produced seemed wholly dis- 

 proportional to the expense of preparing it. It has been proposed to 

 try the process used for extracting the water from beet pulp for the 

 purpose of drying sorghum chips. There is nothing whatever in tbe 

 experience of the beet sugar factories to warrant the belief that such 

 a process would render the chips sufficiently dry to burn. Although I 

 would not be considered as discouraging any further attempts in tbe 

 direction of preparing sorghum chips for fuel, I must be allowed to ex- 

 press the belief that for some time to come coal must be chiefly re- 

 lied upon. 



If the chips are to be successfully burned in the future we may make 

 up our mind, that it will have to be done by previous pressure in mills 

 which in all their appointments shall be as strong and efficient as those 

 which have been in use for expressing the juice from cane. It can not 

 be hoped that these chips will be made sufficiently dry by exposing 

 them to the sun, and in artificial desiccation the amount of fuel required 

 would be almost as great as that used in the evaporation of the original 

 juice. It is claimed that at Wonopringo, in Java, as reported in the 

 New Orleans Item of December 16, 1888, the Fives-Lille Company has 

 succeeded in drying the chips by passing them through two powerful 

 three roll mills, and that the chips thus dried do not contain more than 

 55 per cent, of moisture and burn readily in an automatic furnace in- 

 vented by Godillot. If it be-assumed that 100 pounds of chips contain 

 10 pounds of combustible matter it is seen that nearly 80 pounds of 

 water will have to be expressed therefrom before they are fit for fuel. 

 I am doubtful whether such a process will prove profitable save in 

 countries where fuel is very dear, as it is in Java and Cuba. 



Cost of factory. It is on almost universal experience that the actual 

 cost of a sugar factory is underestimated by those who undertake its 

 erection. Many of the disasters which have attended the manufacture 

 of sorghum sugar have been due to miscalculation of the cost of the 

 apparatus necessary for the purpose. It is the part of wisdom to avoid 

 mistakes of this kind, and before undertaking the erection of a factory 

 to fully understand the amount of outlay which will be required. The 

 cost of a factory will, of course, vary according to its capacity and the 

 character of the machinery and building erected. In my opinion there 

 is little economy in using cheap machinery, hastily and poorly put to- 

 gether. Success is more likely to be obtained by using the very best 

 machinery which has been devised for sugar-making purposes, and 

 erecting it in a lasting and substantial manner. The economy which is 

 secured in operating such machinery far exceeds that which would be 

 obtained by erecting a cheaper plant. The character of the building 

 must also be taken into consideration ; it should be sufficiently large to 

 allow a proper disposition of all parts of the machinery without crowd- 

 ing, and sufficiently strong to afford a proper support for such portions 

 thereof as may rest upon it. Due regard should also be paid to risks 



