THE CHINESE SUGAR-CANE. 93 



water, and strained, before being put into the 

 juice. 



10. When all the green scum has been re- 

 moved, the fire may be increased, and the juice 

 boiled down until nearly as thick as common 

 molasses in hot weather, when, if intended for 

 syrup, it should be removed from the fire, for 

 this completes the process. If intended for 

 sugar, it should be allowed to boil longer, and 

 until it will *' string into threads," or present 

 an appearance of being sufficiently boiled to 

 grain, when it should be thrown off into troughs, 

 or coolers, at once. I am not able to give exact 

 information in regard to the time it should be 

 boiled to crystallize readily. Further experi- 

 ments will determine. 



11. If made into sugar, it should be removed 

 from the coolers to casks with holes bored in 

 them, so that the molasses may drain off and 

 leave the sugar dry, as it should be. These 

 casks are generally placed on timbers, with a 

 cement cistern underneath to hold the drippings, 

 or molasses. After remaining in the "purgery'' 

 until sufficiently drained, it comes out fit for 

 sale, or use. 



12. If cultivated exclusively for fodder, it 

 should be planted as early as the weather will 



