Diffusion Compared with Double Crushing. 5 



Taking as our basis of comparison an extra6lion of 

 82 per cent, for diffusion against 72 per cent, for double 

 crushing, we have a gain in quantity of 14 per cent, of 

 sugar, this on a crop of 2,000 tons of all sugars repre- 

 sents 280 tons of sugar with its proportionate quantity 

 of molasses or rum. A fair valuation of i ton of sugar 

 with its offal would be about ;^I5, and 280 tons at £1^ 

 will amount to ;i^4,200. 



The cost of the necessary diffusion plant may be 

 taken at about ;{^i6,ooo and the interest and wear and 

 tear of this we will assume at ten per cent., or 

 £1,600 per annum. 



The next item of expense will be the cost of the extra 

 fuel required. In the case of double crushing the 

 megass obtained forms a valuable fuel, and with the 

 assistance of about 5 cwts. of coal per ton of sugar, is 

 sufficient for the manufa6lure of the sugar and rum 

 produced. It seems at present doubtful whether the 

 exhausted chips even when double-crushed are of any 

 value as fuel. This is, however, rather a difficult question. 

 At Aska and we believe in Java the exhausted chips have 

 been spread in the sun to dry and subsequently utilised 

 as fuel ; the amount of labour required for this purpose is 

 very considerable and puts entirely out of the question 

 this method of dealing with the chips in British Guiana. 

 In this colony they are passed through a mill, or even 

 double-crushed, and are no doubt after such treatment, 

 available as fuel and theoretically of considerable 

 value for this purpose. There is, however, much greater 

 difficulty in burning cane refuse in this finely com- 

 minuted condition than in the case of either single or 

 double-crushed megass. The particles being small fall 



