692 



FARMERS' REGISTER. 



[No. 10 



they bruise, is caught in vessels made for the pur- 

 pose — generally they are rough troiiglis of bam- 

 boo — from these it is conveyed inlo the boilers, 

 and heated — after it has been boiled for a certain 

 length of time, it assumes a darlc color, and is then 

 said to be the syrup of sugar — this syrup is poured 

 into coolers, kept in a continual state of agitation, 

 by which means the crust which otherwise would 

 form in the process of coolinsr, is broken — when 

 the temperature has been suiKciently reduced) it is 

 poured into casks, which are perforated in a num- 

 ber of places, and in the holes are placed the po- 

 rous bamboo, forming a rude but effective filter 

 through which the syrup jiasses, leaving the su- 

 gar behind. Tiie sugar, which has only under- 

 gone this process, is said to be in the Muscovado 

 state. Tlie syrup is further strained through can- 

 vass filters, mixing it with a portion of lime ; it is 

 then transferred to ttie pots, which are unglazed, 

 and a cake of wet or moist clay is superadded, 

 forming a sort of lid ; after being again heated and 

 a similar process to the former undergone, tlie su- 

 gar is turned out, and becomes what is known as 

 the once clayed sugar — if this is again renewed, 

 it becomes twice clayed sugar. The upper two- 

 thirds of the pot is the better sugar, classed in 

 Java as No. 1 — the remaining portion being of a 

 quality not so good, ranks as No. 2, or perhaps 

 as molasses sugar. The manufacture of molas- 

 ses in this island is almost altogether neglected, 

 and there is no consumpiton of the same, except 

 of a very small quantity, which is sold for imme- 

 diate use to the inhabitants, and the shipping, 

 for the suj^ply of their crews. It is generally of 

 a very inferior quality, being always somewhat 

 burnt, and is mostly thrown away — the little 

 that is sold is worth about 8 or 10 cents per gallon, 

 or from f 4 a 6 per picul. 



Indigo is cultivated to some extent in the inte- 

 rior of the island, and the article is ranked by the 

 holders as equal, if not superior, to the Bengal in- 

 digo. 



Its Cultivation and Manufacture. — New lands 

 are always preferable lor the culture of this plant. 

 It requires a strong soil ; and the ground must be 

 disturbed by the plough or harrow before the in- 

 troduction of the plant. If the season is a dry 

 one, attention must be given to the young plant to 

 ascertain that it does not suffer by the drought, and 

 for the first week or so it must be continually wa- 

 tered, after which it requires comparatively little 

 or no care, and seems to change its nature, scarce- 

 ly any moisture being now requisite to its growth 

 — indeed if the season should continue to be a wet 

 one, the plant, although apparently in a most lux- 

 uriant state, will be found to be deteriorated, and 

 on manufacture, the article produced, is of an infe- 

 rior quality. The leaves of the young indigo are 

 of an extremely pale green color, but in a matur- 

 ed state, when ripe for the vats, it assumes a dark 

 green. The leaves and branches, when of the lat- 

 ter hue, are immediately se|)arated li'om the plant 

 and spread out into the sun to dry ; afler a (tnv 

 hours they are sufficiently dry to be gathered in, 

 when they are threshed to separate them from the 

 branches and stems, and are then pressed in tight 

 packages and stored until the second crop shall be 

 gathered in ; when the crops of one season are all 

 stored, they are leR to undergo a fermentation, 

 (whicli fermentation must be s()ontaneous, care 

 being observed that nothing of a foreign nature. 



which would hasten it, be present.) About forty 

 days after the second crop is stored, the leaves 

 will be observed to liave assumed a dark cream 

 color, and should then be immediately removed to 

 the vats. If kept for any length of time after the 

 change, they will become black, and upon manu- 

 facture, will afibrd an inferior indigo, and in less 

 quantity. The indigo leaves are, on their change 

 to a cream color, taken fi-om the store and thrown 

 into vats of about 28 feet square, two feet three or 

 four inches in depth, which are carefully construct- 

 ed of tiles on the inside, well plastered and joined 

 together. Water is now admitted into these vats, 

 and suffered to remain upon the leaves for about 

 two or two and a half hours, beinij kept in contin- 

 ual agitation during this period of time by stirrers 

 — the water is then drawn off and has become a 

 greenish shade, when it is conveyed by means of 

 pipes or troughs into another vat, when it is still 

 further agitated, until at last it exhibits a dark blue 

 color, when it is tested by pouring a small quan- 

 tity into shallow pans, and if it yield freely a blue 

 deposite, lime water is at once added, and the 

 whole repeatedly stirred lor a length of time, after 

 which it is left to settle, and the deposite which is 

 made is kept undisturbed for a short time after the 

 water is drawn ofi^ — which is of an amber color. 

 The indigo on being taken fi-om the vat, is filtered 

 through a straining cloth, mixed with water again 

 and boiled, the scum and dirt as it rises during the 

 process of ebullition, is carefiilly removed, and the 

 contents of the boiler when cooled, are again 

 strained — after which they are kneaded, and press- 

 ed into cakes of about two or two and a half inch- 

 es square. These are then left to dry — afler which 

 they are packed, and in this state the article is 

 known as the indigo of commerce. 



Good indigo should be clean, hard, inflammable 

 and free from grit or sand, very light, with a spe- 

 cific gravity less than that of water. If the spe- 

 cific gravity is greater than tliat of water, it would 

 be advisable, wir'iout further test, to reject it at 

 once. It should be of a bright fine blue color, in- 

 ternally marked somewhat with silvery streaks, 

 and upon friction with the back of the nail, giving 

 a reddish coppery cast to the surface thus rubbed. 

 It is an article in which you are liable at any time 

 to deception, if not a constant dealer, and a very 

 good judge of the same. 



From the Genesee Farmer. 

 THOUGHTS OIV WARMIXG ROOMS. 



The maintaining a proper temperature in our 

 dwelling houses through tlie winter season, can 

 only be accomplished in two ways — by excluding 

 the external air, and preventing the escape of that 

 already warmed. 



To exclude the external air, it is necessary that 

 much greater attention be given to their construc- 

 tion and finishing, than is usually paid. There is 

 scarcely a possibility of making our rooms, in 

 which a wood fire, is to be kept burning, too tight ; 

 the very means adopted for cariying nfi' the smoke 

 will ensure a sufficient circulation, and consequent 

 renewal of the air of the room. 



Where coal is used, more precaution is neces- 

 sary, as in a perfectly tight room fatal conseciuencs 

 Ireciuently ensue from the use of the oxygen of 



