92 THE CHINESE SUGAR-CANE. 



5. When the panicles appear, they should be 

 cut off of all that which is intended for sugar or 

 syrup making. 



6. When the plant has just passed into bloom, 

 the stalk may be used for syrup, but will con- 

 tinue to grow better until the seed is in the milk- 

 stage, or little later. 



7. The stalks should be cut close to the 

 ground, with a bill-hook or some such tool, and 

 stripped of their leaves, and the green, succulent 

 top cut off, when they are ready for the mill ; 

 the leaves and top may be fed green to cattle, or 

 dried. 



8. The stalks should be passed through the 

 mill twice or more, until most or all of the juice 

 IS expressed. 



9. The juice should not be allowed to stand 

 long after being expressed, but boiled at once, if 

 possible. A slow fire should be made under the 

 kettle, — which should be of brass, or much bet- 

 ter of copper, — and the juice should not be 

 allowed to boil until the green scum has all been 

 taken off. Lime-water may be used to aid in 

 clarifying and to neutralize the acid ; the exact 

 quantity is not yet determined, but to every five 

 gallons of juice, say, from one to two tea-spoons- 

 ful of powdered lime, or the same dissolved in 



