W^W^'- 



1864. 



THE ILLINOIS FAEMER. 



69 



much less capacity, but it is probable 

 that this size will be found the most 

 economical, as its capacity is six to 

 eight acres of heavy cane a day, and 

 from the middle of August to the mid- 

 dle of November, say one hundred 

 working days of ten hours each, six to 

 eight hundred acres of cane can be 

 worked. Allowing an average of two 

 hundred gallons to the acre, we would 

 have over 20,000 gallons of sirup for 

 the season's work. This at 20 cents a 

 gallon for the use of the mill will make 

 the pretty little sum of four thousand 

 dollars a year on an investment of six 

 thousand. Mr. Nason estimates the 

 vinegar will pay the whole running ex- 

 pense of the mill. This estimate was 

 made, when highwines the chief ingre- 

 dient used in vinegar making, ruled 

 much lower than at present. In mak. 

 ing 5,000 gallons of syrup there was 

 200 barrels of vinegar from the skim- 

 mings. In domestic practice it is well 

 known that the skimmings are thrown 

 away and this source of profit lost. 



The boilers are placed under a shed 

 on the north side of the house, thus 

 leaving the whole interior for working. 

 The rollers are horizontal and placed 

 on the ground floor, under which is a 

 large vat for the juice. From this vat the 

 juice is pumped to the upper story into 

 a large tank,firstit runs into the heating 

 and clarifying pan, then into the set- 

 tling tanks, from which it flows into 

 the steam pan, where it is reduced to 

 syrup, from this into the cooler, and 

 lastly into the barrel, which is on the 

 ground floor near the rolls. In all this 

 arrangement, the saving of labor is care- 

 fully considered. 



From the large tank the juice is 

 drawn into the fire pan. This pan is 

 twenty-seven feet long and four and a 



half feet wide. The sides are horizon- 

 tal as is also the end next to the arch, 

 while the other end is more sloping for 

 the purpose of skimming. Coal screen- 

 ings or what is called slack or siftings 

 from the coal mine is used to heat this 

 pan, which is near a dozen feet frojii the 

 ground floor. This is clowly heated 

 when the scum rises, and by the ebuli- 

 tion is thrown back to the hind end of 

 the pan, where it is easily skimmed off". 

 The saving of labor in skimming is one 

 of great importance, and at once throws 

 all other pans into the shade. At the 

 end of the pan is a trough connecting 

 by a spout with the vinegar tank, into 

 which the skimmings find their way, 

 thus keeping the floor and ground clean 

 and tidy ; and here is one great point 

 gained, instead of the filthy, sloppy 

 condition of the ground around the 

 pan, which is so often seen in domestic 

 practice — this filthy stuff is made to 

 pay the running expense of the estab- 

 lishment, and is in no way obnoxious 

 to good taste. The boiling is continued 

 until the juice is reduced to fifteen de- 

 grees £eaume, when it ^s run into the 

 settling tank, two of which are used. 

 At this stage lime is added to correct 

 the acid. After remaining a few hours 

 in these tanks the juice is then run into 

 the steam pans, drawing from and filling 

 ing the settling tanks alternately. This 

 steam pan is sixteen feet long and five 

 wide, and made on the same plan as 

 the fire pan. The steam coils in this 

 are arranged transversely across the 

 pan and are of brass. Under these 

 coils which are raised three or four 

 inches above the bottom of the pan, are 

 several led pipes some two inches in 



diameter, and which were perforated 



with a row of small holes on the under 



sides. These lead pipes are connected 



