94 



(2) REPORT OF PROFESSOR SWENSON. 



Magnus Swenson 1 reports three experiments : 



Owing to the very backward season the growth of the cane was exceedingly slow. 3 

 In respect of the purity of the juice Professor Swenson says : 3 



I do not believe that the average juice from the sorghum cane is of sufficient purity 

 to allow of its being boiled to grain in the vacuum pan. I obtained a much coarser 

 sugar by allowing the crystallization to take place in small tanks, and it was conse- 

 quently much more easily separated. 



Compare this with the statement of Professor Weber : 4 



During our season's work in running the vacuum pan for sugar we did not fail at 

 any time to produce crystals therein of proper quantity and desirable size. 



(3) REPORT OF MR. PAUL STECK, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CAL. 5 



Four hundred acres of cane were planted. Mr. Steck puts his daily 

 expenses, aside from the cost of cane, at $235.50. His premium of 

 $1,200 therefore only paid his running expenses for a little over five 

 days. 



I give below that part of his report where we might expect to find a 

 statement of the quantity of sugar made. 6 



I manufactured from 600 to 650 gallons of sirup per day^ average market price 50 

 cents per gallon. The reason why I could not manufacture sugar in quantity was on 

 account of the juice not crystallizing in the vacuum pan, as cane sugar should do, so 

 I was compelled to let the sirup run into tanks for crystallization. The sirup which I 

 manufactured from this sorghum was superior to any in the market, both in color and 

 taste. The time required in making the alterations necessary and the putting in of 

 large tanks, and other changes which I would have to make, was too short, so I con- 

 verted the crop into sirup, as above stated. The sorghum sirup has a very slow crys- 

 tallization, and the room in which it is kept should have a temperature of not less 

 than 105. It is a very important point in manufacturing sugar from sorghum 

 not to bring the juice to boiling-point,. as it checks the crystallization ; therefore it 

 should always be evaporated in vacuum pans (what we call single, double, and triple 

 effect), and also the cane brought to the mill should be manufactured into sugar or 

 sirup within twelve to fifteen hours, as the longer it is exposed to air the more sucrose 

 will turn to glucose. There should not be more cane cut in the field than can be 

 worked at the mill each day. 



1 Op. cit., pp. 19 ct seq. 



2 Op. cit, p. 20. 



3 Op. cit., p. 23. 

 < Op. cit., p. 15. 



5 Op. cit., pp. 23 et seq. 



6 Op. cit., p. 25. 



