SUGAR-CANE juice clarification. 7 



press cloths, leaving them clean and in good condition for another 

 filtration. 



By this method of clarification a clean, clear, bright juice was 

 obtained. Only the insoluble material in the original juice or 

 that flocculated by heat was removed, that is, the material which 

 the simple process of straining and skimming attempts to remove 

 and docs less thoroughly. After filtration by this method, it was 

 necessary only to evaporate the resulting clear juice to sirup. As no 

 further " skimmings " appeared the full heating capacity of the 

 evaporators could be employed and evaporation was conducted as 

 rapidly as the type of evaporator in use permitted. 



The resulting sirup was not absolutely clear, owing to the separa- 

 tion during concentration of material which was soluble in the thin 

 juice, but insoluble in the more concentrated sirup. However, this 

 material formed only a slight cloud in the sirup, which is not ob- 

 jectionable. All the dregs and dirty-looking material which un- 

 fortunately are so characteristic of the usual run of cane sirup were 

 removed by the filtration process, making the final sirup clean and 

 pleasing to the eye. The color of the sirup made by this process 

 was much better than that of the average unbleached cane sirup, as 

 no particles of bagasse or other trash were present to stick to the 

 coils or sides of the evaporators and cause discoloration by burn- 

 ing. Also the juice could be cooked to sirup more rapidly, allowing 

 the man in charge to give his whole attention to the evaporation 

 without having to worry about skimming or to take care lest " the 

 skimmings boil in." 



After this method of clarifying, the juice is in good condition to 

 be evaporated under diminished pressure in one of the various 

 types of vacuum evaporators, for it is clean and no additional scum 

 forms as the evaporation proceeds. 



ECONOMIC CONSIDERATIONS. 



A description of a new method or process of manufacture would 

 not be complete if it did not give an estimate of its practicability, 

 convenience, cost, and advantages in comparison with the processes 

 in general use at the present time. For purposes of comparison the 

 prevailing methods of making sirup may be classified into three 

 groups : 



1. The method used by the individual farmer who raises only a 

 few acres of cane and makes this cane into sirup by his own labor 

 and that of his hired help. His equipment consists usually of a 

 comparatively small mill, operated either by horsepower or by a 

 gasoline engine. The juice is evaporated in a kettle, home-made vat, 

 or baffle-plate evaporator placed directly over a wood fire. The daily 

 production is seldom over 300 gallons and is often less than 100 

 gallons. 



