76 



THE NEW GENESEE FARMER, 



Vol. 311 Ho 



Sugar from Indian Corn and Stearime from 

 I.ard. 



We have received fioin tbeCommieeionerofPateme: 

 olwnya on ibe alert tu collect ond diffuse useful inlor 

 Illation, an Essny on the manulacluring of Sugar Irom 

 the corn stalk by William Webb of Wilming'.on, Del 

 aware ; and a communicalion on ibe ouliject ot Oil 

 and Stearine from J^ird — in a pamphlet published by 

 the National Agricuhural Society. They are higlily 

 Interesting Olid valuable. We shall select only those 

 parts which are directly proctical ; omiiting such as 

 may be considered too scientific for ^nieral readers. 

 The prospects which they bold out, especially in re- 

 spect to the product of sugar from maize, are very 

 highly encouraging. The first step only in tho pro- 

 cess is as yet taken ; and especially it remaine to he 

 seen what are to be the expenses of the process. Ii 

 is conSdently stated that eight hundred or a thousand 

 pounds of sugar may be produced upon an acre of corn, 

 planted as Mr. Webb directs. We shall be ready to 

 believe it when it is done ; in the mean time we de- 

 sign not the slightest impenchmcnt of Mr Webb's in- 

 tegrity and intelligence, and entertain no distrust or 

 doubt, which should interfere with the immediate and 

 faithful trial of the experiment. Heaven grant that 

 these e.xpeetutions may be realized on the tc ire of hu- 

 manity if for no other reason, if human comfort ia 

 taxed and human lile used uj) so cruelly and so prodi- 

 g'llly, as it is in this pamphlet represented to be in the 

 manufacture of sugar from the cane. 



" I have felt tonsidcrabic interest in the plan for 

 extending the cultivation of sugar in temperate cli- 

 mates, and have made many cxperinienls : lira!, upon 

 the B-!et, and recently upon INiaize, or Indian corn, 

 ill t'le hope of discovering some mode by which ilie 

 des red end might be aiiained. The results from the 

 liilter plant have been e.t'rcniely encouraging. The 

 inaiiufaciure of sugar from it, compared with that 

 from Beet, oilers many advalnages. It is more sim- 

 ple, and less lialiie to failure. The machinery is less 

 expensive, and the amount of fuel required is less by 

 one-half. The quantity oi sugar produced on a given 

 space of ground is greater, besides being of better 

 quality. 



"The raw juice of Maize, when cultivated forsu- 

 gir, marks HI" on the saccharomcter while the aver- 

 age ol cane juice (■■is lam informed) is not higher 

 til in 8"^, and beet juice not over 3-'. From !)J qt'a. 

 (dry measure) ol the li)riner, I have obtained 4 pounds 

 b ounces of syrup, cnnceniraied to the pi-int suitable 

 for crystalization. The proportion ol crystnlizable 

 sugar appears to be linger thai) is obtained trom cane 

 juice in Louisiana. This is accounted for ny the fact, 

 that our climate ripens corn p' rfecily, while it but 

 rarely if ever happens that cane is fully matured. In 

 some eases the syi up has cryslnlized so com| lately, 

 tli-ii less than one sixth part of molasses remained. 

 This, however, only happened after it bad stood fiom 

 one to two months. There is reason to believe that 

 if the plant were fully ripe, and the process of mann 

 factiiro perfectly performed, that the eyr-.ip m'ght be 

 entirely crysialized without forming any molasses 

 This [lerfcction in the manufacture cannot liowevc r be 

 iiltained wilh the ordinary ai'pnratu.i. Without any 

 other means for pressing out the juice than a small 

 hand-mill, it is impossible tosny how great a quantity 

 of sugar may -be produced on an acre. The e.vperi- 

 lyenls hriveheon directed more to ascertain thenaccha- 

 rme quality of the corn stalk, than the amount a giv- 

 en quantity of ground will produce ; but the calcula- 

 tions made from iiials on a Fiiiall scale, leave no room 

 o rionbt that the quantity of sugar will be from 8U0 to 

 1,00.) poumls. 



"Another mode of cultivation, to be employed in 

 combination with the one first proposed, consists sim- 

 ply in raising a greater numl>er o( plants on the same 

 space of ground. By this plan, all the nnfavorable 

 results above mentioned were obviated; o much lar 

 ger quantity ot su^or was produced, and of better 

 qiialitv. 



" The juice produced by this mode of cultivation is 

 rem.arkably pure and njrceahle to the taste. Sample- 

 of the sugar yielded by it are now in the Patent Of 

 fice, with a small hond-miUhy which the stalks were 

 cr shrd. 



" On tlie whole, there appears ample encourage- 

 ment lor perseverance ; every step in the investiga- 

 tion has increased the probabilities of success — no ev- 



. deuce having been discovered why it should not sue- ] 

 'leed as well, if not better, on a 1 rge scale, than it 

 has done on a email one. In the fii si place, it has 

 been satisfactorily proved, that sugar ot excellent qual- 

 ity, suitable (or common use without rchuiug, may be 

 made from the stalk ol i^.Iiize. •2d. Tuat the juice of 

 this plant when cuhiviileil in a certain manne"*, con- 

 tains saccharine matter remarkably iiee from liireigu 

 substances. 3id. The quantity of this juice, (even 

 supposing we hud no other evidence about it) is suffi- 

 cientiy demonsliated by the greatomount of nutritive 

 grain which it produces in the natulal course of veg- 

 etation. 



•' It is needless to expatiote on the voat advantages 

 which would result fiom the introductiouof this man 

 ufaciure into our countiy. 



" Grain is produced in the West, in such overflow- 

 ing abundance, that the markets become glutted, and 

 inducements aie oU'ered to employ the surplus produce 

 in dietillation. This business is now becoming diS' 

 rciuitahle. Tue happy conviction is spreading rapid- 

 ly, that the use of alcoiiol as a beverage, instead of 

 conducing to health and strength, is the surest means 

 of destroying both. Some other production, ihere- 

 liire, will he lequired, in which the powers of our soil 

 may be pioliiably employed. This, it is hoped, will 

 be found in the business now proposed. Instead of 

 distillerie.-j convening food into poison, we may have 

 sugar houses, manufacturing at onr doors an ortiele in 

 universal demand, not merely useful, but necessary ; 

 furnishing as it docs one of the most tinqile, natural, 

 and nutritious varietire of human sustei.ancc, found in 

 the whole range of vegetable production. It is said 

 that the general use of 5Ugar in £crui e, has had the 

 effect to extinguisb the scurvy, and many other dis- 

 eases formerly epidemical. 



The lime 1 1' tue crop in tlie sugar island, (soys Ed 

 ivards,) is a season of gladness and festivity to man 

 and beast. The incngie and sickly among the ne- 

 groes exhibit a surprising alternlion in n few weeks 

 after ibe mill is set in action. But though the uee rii 

 >ugar is attended with all these agreeable eiVecIs, there 

 no agricultural production furnished at so great a 

 sacrifice oi human life. The reasons of this mortality 

 may be found in the climate, and the peculiar titua- 

 ms in which cane is cultivated. How nj^'b then 

 II be taken oil the load of human suflering, if this 

 article can he produced in more temperate and h'-alih- 

 Inl irnions I The wide praries, ond fertile alluvial 

 valleys of the West offer an ample field, rich wilh all 

 the elements of success. 



" It may be doubted whether a tropical country can 

 ever furnish o great amount of exports, except throuch 

 the ineaus of compulsory labor. It appears then, 

 highly probable, that if the iiihabitonts of temperate 

 countries wish to continue the use of tugor, ll ey must 

 lind some means to luoduce it for tlitmsclvea The 

 Beet appears to succeed well in Europe, and the man- 

 ufacture from it is extending rapidly ; hut theie is no 

 liazard in making the assertion thai Indian corn is far 

 tievter adopted to iiiir pnrpnsc. 



'' Tlie following mode of cultivoting ibc plont, ond 

 making the sugor, is the best thai can now be of- 

 leied. 



" The kind of toil best adapted to rorn is so well 

 understood, that no directions on this poinl are neces- 

 sary, except that it should bo licb, the richer the bet- 

 ter ; if not naininlly fertile, maunro must he applied 

 cither ploughed in or spread upon ihe siirfnce, or used 

 both ways, accoidiug to the ability of the owner. 

 Nothiivi can foini a heller prepnr.niion fiir the crop, 

 than a clover sod well turned under, and harrowed 

 fine immediately befue planting. 



"Select for s cd the larcesi and best cars of any 

 variety ol corn not disposed to throw up suckers, or 

 spread r ut in branches ; that kind most productive in 

 the neighborhood, will he generally the one hesl adapt- 

 ed to the purpose. The planting should be done with 

 a drilling mnchinc. One man with a pair of horses, 

 and an inst ument of this kind, will plant and cover, 

 in the most pi;rfect manner, from ten to twelve acies 

 in a day. The rows (if practicable, let th' ni inn 

 north and south ' two and a half feet apart, and the 

 seed dropped sufKciently thick in the row to insure a 

 plant every two or three inches. 



"A large barrow made wilh teeth arranged so as 

 not to injure the corn, may be used to odvantage soon 

 lifter it is up. The after culture is performed with o 

 cultivotor. and here will he perceived one of the great 

 ■idvantages of drilling ; lEe plants all growing in lines, 

 perfectly regular and straight wilh each other, the 

 horse-1-oe stirs the eonh and cuts up the weeds close by 

 every one. so that no band-hoeing will be required in 

 ■my part of the cultivation. 



"It is a part of the system of cane planting in 

 Louisiana, to raise ni full a stand of cane upon the 



ground as possible; experience having pioved that 

 the most sugar ia obtained from the land in this way." 

 As far as my experience has gone, the same thing la 

 true of corn, 'i his point must therefore beotUndi.d 

 to, and the deficiencies, if any occur, made up by 

 iiniely replanting. < 



" The next operation is taking off the cars. Many 

 stalks will not produce any, but wherevur they appear,, 

 they must be removed. Il is not best to undertake 

 tills woik too early ; as when ihe enie first oppear, 

 they aie tender, and cannot be taken ofl' without 

 breaking, which increases the trouble. Any time be- 

 fore the formation of groin upon them, will be soon 

 enough. 



" Nothing further is necessary to be done until tha 

 crop is ready to cut for grinding. In our lotitude, ihs 

 cutting may commence, wilii the eailier varieties, 

 iibout the middle of August. The later kinds will ha 

 ripe in September, ond continue in season until cut 

 ofV by frost. The stalks should be topped and bladcd 

 while standing in the field. They ate then cut, tied 

 in bunulee, ond token to the mill. The tops and 

 blades, when properly cured, make excellent fodder, 

 rather belter ills believed, than any hitherto used; 

 and the residuum, after passing the rollers, may easily 

 be dried ond used in the same way ; another advai> 

 tage over the cane, which, after the juice is expressed, 

 is usually buined. 



'i'he milis should be made on the same general prin 

 eiple eniplojed in constiucting those intended for 

 grinding cane. .\n imporlaiil diflerencc, however, 

 will be foanil both in the originai cost, and in the ex- 

 imise of woiking them. Judging fiuni the compor- 

 ntive hardness of cane and corn stalk, il is believed 

 thatone-lourlh part of the strength necessary in tho 

 construction of o ennc mill, will be amply sufficient 

 for corn ; and less than one-fonrlh port of the power 

 will move it with the same velocity, li moy le mode 

 with three npiight *vooden roUere, from twenty to for- 

 ty inches in lengih, turned so as to run true, and fit- 

 ted into a strong fiiime woik, consisiingof two hoii- 

 zontal pieces siictaiuLd by uprights. These pieces mo 

 mortised to admit wedges on each side the pivots of 

 ihe two outbiiie rollers, by which their distances ficni 

 ibc middle one may be leguloicd. The power is ap 

 pi ed to the middle roller, and the otbeis are moved 

 from it by means of cogs. In grinding, the slnlkB 

 pots through on the right side of tho middle cylinder, 

 and come in contact with a piece of frame woik cbI- 

 led the dumb retnruer, which directs tbem backwards' 

 BO thai they pass through the rollers again on the op- 

 posite side of the middle one. (Seecni.) The mod- 

 ern ireprnved inachinB is mode entirely of iion ; ihleo 

 horizontal rollers ai ranged in a triangular form, one- 

 above and two below, the cone or sialk pafses direct- 

 ly through, receiving two pressures before il escapes. 

 The lower cjlindeis are conioined in a small cistern 

 which receives the jnice. The laiier machine is the' 

 most complete, the former ihe least expensive. These 

 inilis may he moved by cattle but for large operations, 

 steam or water power is preferable. When the veiti- 

 cal cylinders are turned by cattle, the axis of the mid- 

 rlle one has Umg le\eis fixed across it, extending from 

 ten to fifteen feet from the centre. To rcndt^ tho 

 arms firm, the axis of this roller is carried up to a con- 

 siderable height, andob ique braces of wood by which 

 the oxen or horses draw, aic extended from the top of 

 the vertical axis, to ihe extremities of each ot iho 

 arms. When horizontal cylinders oie propelled by 

 animal power, the upper roller is turned by ccgs at 

 one end, which are caiiehlby cogs on a verlico shaft. 

 It is said that in the West Indies, the purest cono 

 juice will ferment in twenty minutes afier it enters 

 the receiver. Corn juice has been ktpt for one hour 

 before boiling, wilhoul any apparent injury resulting ; 



