CHINESE SUGAR CANE. 229 



same proportion at the other grhidings, would increase the sirup 

 about ten gallons per acre. My object has been as before inti- 

 mated, not so much to see how large a quantity of juice could 

 be produced from a given quantity of land, as to see how good 

 an article of sirup could be made. When that is satisfactory, 

 as it really seems to be, mills and other appliances for obtaining 

 the sirup, will follow of course. 



Essex, November 2, 1857. 



MIDDLESEX. 



Statement of Eben. Davis. 



I planted about one-third of an acre in the same manner as 

 Indian corn. There were about 1,200 hills, averaging about 

 five canes to the hill. It was planted about the fifth of May, on 

 a light, gravelly soil, too poor to produce a good crop of corn ; I 

 put from six to ten seeds in a hill, it taking a half pound of 

 seed. The spring being cold and wet, it was three weeks before 

 it came up ; after which it grew very slowly until the first of 

 July, at which time it was so small, that I began to despair of 

 it ; but from the first of Jiily until the first of September, it 

 grew rapidly, to the average height of from ten to twelve feet, 

 and from an inch to an inch and a half in diameter. On the 

 24th of September I cut 100 canes ; which, after stripping the 

 leaves and cutting off the tops, weighed 200 lbs. The canes 

 were then passed between two iron cylinders, of about eight 

 inches in diameter, propelled by water power, from which I ob- 

 tained 75 lbs. of juice. I think by a more perfect operation of 

 the rollers, fifty or more per cent, can be obtained in juice. 



The juice was then strained into a copper boiler, and the 

 whites of three eggs, well beaten, were mixed with the juice ; 

 also a large spoonful of slacked lime, about the thickness of 

 cream, stirred in, after which it was brought to a boiling heat, 

 but not allowed to boil ; this temperature being preserved for a 

 few minutes, and after being skimmed clean, I commenced boil- 

 ing it down rapidly, until the quantity was reduced about one- 

 half. It was then filtered through a thick flannel, and put 

 into an iron kettle and boiled down on the cooking-stove to 

 about a gallon, weighing 12 lbs. The cane being too green to 



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