53 



juice at 90 per cent., the loss in juice was 12 per cent. The percentage 

 of juice, and consequently of sugar extracted, was 86.6 per cent. The 

 mean loss of sugar in the chips at Fort Scott was .38 per cent., and the 

 quantity of sugar present was 9.56. The percentage of extraction was 

 therefore 96 per cent. The gain in extraction by diffusion is therefore 

 9.4 per cent. It is thus evident that the large gain in yield, as estab- 

 lished at Fort Scott, cannot be due wholly to the increased extraction 

 of the sugar. It must therefore be largely due to the processes of de- 

 puration employed. 



The process of carbonatation tends to increase the yield of sugar in 

 three ways: 



(1) It diminishes the content of glucose. This diminution is small 

 when the cold carbonatation as practised at Fort Scott is used; yet, to 

 at least once and a half its extent, it increases the yield of crystallized 

 sugar. 



(2) By the careful use of the process of carbonatation there is scarcely 

 any loss of sugar. The only place where there can be any loss at all 

 is in the press cakes, and when the desucratioii of these is properly at- 

 tended to the total loss is trifling. The wasteful process of " skimming" 

 is entirely abolished, and the increased yield is due to no mean extent 

 to this truly economical proceeding. 



(3) In addition to the two causes of increase already noted, and which 

 are not sufficient to produce the large rendement obtained, must be men- 

 tioned a third, the action of the excess of lime and its precipitation by 

 carbonic acid on the substances in the juice, which are truly melassi- 

 genic. Fully half of the total increase which the experiments have 

 demonstrated is due to this cause. It is true the coefficient of purity 

 of the juice does not seem to be much affected by the process, but it is 

 evident that the treatment to which the juice is subjected increases in 

 a marked degree the ability of the sugar to crystallize. This fact is 

 most abundantly illustrated by the results obtained. 



Not only this but it is also evident that the proportion of first sugars 

 to all others is largely increased by this method. This is a fact which 

 may prove of considerable economic importance. 



It thus appears that the yield of sugar would be greatly increased 

 by the application of carbonatation to mill juices. Since a complete 

 carbonatation outfit can be erected for about $4,000 it would be well if 

 some planter or syndicate of planters should give the process a trial. 



These facts are worthy of closer consideration, inasmuch as the 

 process of carbonatation has been fiercely and maliciously assailed as 

 one which destroys both sugar and molasses. 



WEIGHT OF DIFFUSION JUICE COMPARED WITH WEIGHT OF CANE 



WORKED. 



Number of cells filled, 8 



Weii-ht chips in each ce'll = 30a^S:*.2f> = 1.0^'J tons =2,000 pounds. 



