200 CULTIVATION OF PLANTS. 



into the condenser, for a last evaporation. These clarifiers are emptied of 

 their animal carbon twice in the day, and filled with other, fresh burnt from 

 the kilns. It is found that some of the saccharine remains in this carbon, it 

 is therefore put np to receive the juice from the desiccator as it passes into the 

 first evaporator, by which means the saccharine is extracted; after which, the 

 animal carbon is turned out to be washed preparatory to another calcination, 

 whereby it is rendered fit for farther use, ad infinit-um. 



7. Concentration. The clarified syrup is evaporated in the condenser to 

 41, (by saccharometer,) at which point it indicates signs of fitness for crys- 

 tallization, which may be known by the usual test, drawing between the finger 

 and thumb, when if the ihread break and the end draws up to the finger in a 

 kind of horny substance, it is enough. Another mode is, to blow through the 

 holes of the skimmer, when if the syrup be sufficiently tenacious to form air 

 bubbles and fall to the ground, and on bursting leave a white substance, it is 

 immediately removed from the fire. 



At the commencement of the crushing season, and when the roots are fresh 

 and good, four pounds of lime will be found sufficient for the desiccation of 8 

 hectolitres,* (225 gallons,) but as the season advances, more lime will be re- 

 quired, until at length, at the conclusion of the season, and when vegetation 

 has commenced, as much as 7, and even 8 IDS., have been found necessary to 

 effect the purpose; in this case there is danger of an excess of lime, which is 

 taken up by means of acid, applied at the time of condensing the syrup for 

 the last time. Sulphuric acid, reduced by water in the proportion of 44 water 

 to 1 of acid, is used for this purpose, the exact quantity necessary must be 

 judged of by chemical test; if more is used than is proper to neutralize the 

 lime, the refiners of the sugar object to purchase, as it subjects them to much 

 inconvenience, and some loss; practice, however, soon makes perfect this part 

 of the business. When the concentration has been carried to the crystalliz- 

 ing point, the syrup is poured into large copper pans, which are placed in the 

 air, where it remains about two hours, to cool, during this time it is stirred 

 occasionally, that the cooling might go on regularly; it is then poured into flat 

 pans made of tinned iron, 2 feet 3 inches long, 15 inches wide, and 3$ inches 

 deep, and is then left to crystallize, in a cool atmosphere, for 12 hours and 

 sometimes more. These pans are then removed to the stove, and set on their 

 ends that the molasses may drain from them, and in 12 days from the making, 

 the sugar is fit for the market. On removing the sugar from these pans, about 

 one-tenth of the contents is found at the bottom edges to contain molasses, and 

 must be separated from the cake, this is mixed with the molasses which has 

 drained from the pans, is reduced to 17 Q , (by saccharoraeter,) with water, 

 evaporated to 21, and is again submitted to the clarifying process; after which 

 it is concentrated to 41, (by saccharometer,) for the purpose of making sugar 

 of second quality, which, if well done, is equal in value, for the purpose of 

 refining, to sugar of first quality. When this syrup of second quality is suffi- 

 ciently concentrated for crystallizing, it is poured into the coolers, and from 

 them removed to cone-shaped earthen pans, and placed, first in the cool, and 

 afterwards removed to the stove; at the end of about 24 hours the stoppers are 

 removed from these pans, and the molasses permitted to flow away, and in 

 about six weeks from this lime, the sugar from these pans is fit for the market. 

 On removing these loaves from the pans, a portion near the holes will be found 

 to contain a considerable portion of molasses mixed with sugar; these por- 

 tions are collected and reduced by water to 17, (by saccharometer,) and boil- 

 ed to 2J, when the syrup is passed through the clarifying pans, and con- 

 centrated for crystallizing, as above. During the boiling to 21, large quan- 

 tities of scum will arise, which must be carefully removed: this scum is to be 

 washed with water, to obtain from it all the saccharine, and this water is then 

 used to reduce the impure sugar, from the pans, so that nothing be lost. From 

 the molasses of these pans of second quality sugar, there may be extracted 

 sugar of third quality, but the labour and expense of fuel for evaporation, 

 together with the great length of time which it requires to perfect crystalliza- 



* The hectolitre is 105 6-10 quarts. 



