REPORT OF H. A. HUGHES, RIO. GRANDE, N. J. 



The whole season of this year has been devoted entirely to experi- 

 mental work, with the object of securing additional light on crop grow- 

 ing, manufacturing, and commercial problems. 



The past season was the end of a series of crop growing, covering a 

 period of nine years, and fully confirms the fact that the safe time for 

 planting Orange cane, after allowing for variations of climate, had 

 passed. 



The Amber cane had gone by its season by September 23, at which 

 time the cutting had commenced, and the Kansas Orange had very little 

 ripe seed on it; the Late Orange contained very little ripe seed, and a 

 large number of the plumes did not even have seed formed in them. 



The crop was all harvested by November 1. 



The usual frosts and ice were met, with results described later on. 



Analyses. 



The Amber was used to break in the new machinery, not being con- 

 sidered worth working for sugar. The Kansas Orange was all worked 

 for sugar and gave yields of fine quality of 8G to 90 per cent, test; with- 

 out washing, of from C5 pounds to 39 pounds per ton of field cane. The 

 limit of crystallization can be marked at 55 per cent, purity. Crystals 

 can be formed below this degree, but they are difficult to separate in the 

 centrifugals. 



The Late Orange was mostly below the crystallization point, and al- 

 though crystals were attempted by the sugar-maker in order to find out 

 the limit at which graining takes place, and several pans were actually 

 grained the grains were so small that conclusions were reached adverse 

 to the boiling for sugar of such material. Two weeks of the season weiv 

 spent in breaking in the evaporator, and one week in solving the prob- 



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