CANE SUGAR. 



In the second operation the molasses diluted to a density of 10- 12 

 Brix are cooled down to a temperature lying between C. and 13 C., 

 generally to one of 6 0., and quicklime added in small quantities about 

 10 Ibs. at a time until 210 parts of lime are added per 100 of sugar; 

 during the whole operation the molasses are continually agitated and the tem- 

 perature is not allowed to rise above 13C. ; at the end of the process, 

 which lasts about three-quarters of an hour, there is obtained a pasty mass, 

 consisting of a mixture of tribasic saccharate and slaked lime. 



The third operation consists 'of separating the saccharate by nitration and 

 washing with cold water ; the nitrate which contains practically all the im- 

 purities is rejected, the washings being used to dilute a further quantity of 

 molasses; the purified saccharate is either used in place of lime on raw juices 

 or is treated separately by carbonation. The cost of working this process is 

 only about half that required for the older Steifen process. 



The discovery of large deposits of strontianite in "Westphalia opened the 

 way to the use of this material in extracting sugar from molasses. 



Two processes both due to Scheibler are in use. 



1. Bibasic Process. In this process three equivalents of strontia to 

 one of sugar are added to a hot diluted molasses, and the saccharate which 

 forms is separated from the mother liquors by nitration and washed with a 

 10 per cent, solution of strontia; all these operations are done when still warm. 

 In order to decompose the saccharate, it is placed in vessels set up in a battery 

 through which is passed water at a temperature of from 4C. to 15C., the 

 water containing 2 per cent, of strontia; by these means the bibasic body is 

 decomposed into the monobasic body and strontia ; this operation takes about 

 forty-eight hours. A solution of sugar still containing strontia passes out of 

 the diff users and is treated by carbonation. 



2. Monobasic Process. In this process a solution of strontia is mixed 

 with molasses, the temperature not being allowed to rise above 20C. ; 

 the monobasic body formed is separated by_filtration and treated to a carbona- 

 tion process. 



The Disposal of Molasses. By sale as suck. In certain 

 places the sale of molasses to distillers or for direct consumption forms a part 

 of the routine ; in some cases, particularly in the muscovado process followed 

 in Barbados, this procedure is very profitable since fancy prices are still to be 

 obtained for these grades of molasses. Considered from the point of view of 

 the agricultural chemist, nothing can be said in favour of this scheme as it 

 entails the absolute removal from the soil of much valuable plant food, 

 particularly in the form of potash. With the very pure juices found in the 

 Hawaiian Islands the molasses amount to about 20 per cent, of the sugar 

 shipped, a figure rising to as much as 40 per cent, in the case of the impure 



400 



