THE ALCOHOL INDUSTRY. PART I. 189 



cane juice. When sulphur dioxide is emploj^ed in the clarification, the 

 sap might be mixed advantageously with the cane juice in the clarifica- 

 tion tanks. When sulphur dioxide is not used in working the sugar- 

 cane juice and it is boiled when neutral or slightly alkaline, the buri 

 sap might be successfully added to the clarified cane juice and boiled 

 into sugar after first treating the buri sap separately with carbon 

 dioxide *^ in blow-up tanks and filtering. Under such conditions no 

 additional investment of any considerable magnitude will be required 

 to handle the buri sap and the experiment is at least worthy of a trial 

 when opportunity offers. 



On the basis of an estimate of 100,000 buri palms growing in one 

 locality so that the sap could be economically handled, the receipts are 

 estimated as follows : 



A yield of 3,000 liters of sap per palm would mean a total yield of 300,000,000 

 liters. A milling outfit corresponding to a 500-ton sugar mill can work approx- 

 imately 340,000 liters of sap in 24 hours, so that a mill of this capacity could 

 operate about 900 days. The sap would probably have an average Brix of 12.0, 

 sucrose 10 per cent, and purity 82.0 per cent. The valuation of the yield of 

 sugar from 300,000,000 liters of tuba would be approximately 4,600,000 pesos. 

 Theoretically this figure is very attractive, but the conditions and coats entering 

 into the manufacture of this sap as an independent undertaking are too uncertain 

 and experimental to hazard any statement of the profit which might accrue. 

 Moreover, it is to be remembered that the palm is in the best condition to be 

 tapped for sap only once in a cycle of 25 or 30 years, unless the method of 

 tapping for more continuous sap production can be successfully carried out. 



In conclusion, the results obtained are negative and must therefore 

 for the present place the buri palm and its products (with the possible 

 exception of those made from the fibers) among the class of palms being 

 of no great immediate commercial value. This verdict seems to be cor- 

 roborated by natives, whose only use of the tuba is as a drink and for the 

 manufacture of a confection after the palm is in flower. 



THE STARCH. 

 By Raymond F. Bacon. 



It was thought advisable to determine the amount of 'starch in the 

 trunk of the tree, so that, if possible, more use could be made of 

 the immense number of buri palms in many uninhabited portions of 

 the Islands. 



A medium-sized tree on the Eecoleto estate in southwestern Mindoro was cut 

 down and portions of the trunk were collected. The trees are very difficult to 

 fell, for while the whole interior of the palm is soft, and it is only surrounded 

 by a thin shell of very hard wood, still, because of the many fibers on the inside, 

 it is necessary to cut completely through the latter before the tree will fall. 



" The abundance of limestone of good quality in these Islands argues for the 

 economic advantage of manufacturing lime for defecation purposes near the 

 sugar mill. 



