SUGAR. 



143 



(1) From the very impure cane juice obtained from the sugar-cane 

 grown in this colony. So much salt still remains in the soil that on 

 many estates the presence of salt in the cane juice can readily be per- 

 ceived by the taste. 



(2) From being unable to employ water for condensing the spirit 

 at a lower temperature than 84° Fahr. 



In Jamaica the spring water brought from the mountains is of a 

 much lower temperature. 



On the best estates till recently the whole of the molasses was 

 manufactured into rum, but now a good many estates reboil the 

 molasses in order to extract all the crystallizable sugar. This, 

 however, can only be practised where the vacuum pan is used. 



Formerly the molasses was exported to Great Britain and purchased 

 by refiners, but lately a great deal has been sent to the United States, 

 where a higher price has been obtained. It may also be stated that a 

 considerable proportion of the sugar of the colony has gone to the 

 same market. 



Rum when rectified is colourless and possessed of a peculiar odour, 

 arising, it is said, from an essential oil contained in the rind of the 

 cane, and which finds its way, in the skimmings of the cane juice, 

 during its evaporation, in the sweets used in setting up liquor for 

 fermentation. Eum is coloured in this colony by caramel prepared 

 from good muscovado sugar. 



The proper manufacture of good colouring matter for rum is very 

 important. For this purpose the best sugar should be selected, and 

 placed in sufficient quantity in a pan on an independent fire. The 

 sugar must be constantly stirred with a wooden paddle during the 

 action of the fire on the pan, in order to prevent its getting a singed 

 taste or flavour ; and when it comes to a consistency, making it difficult 

 to keep it in motion with the paddle, the fire must be withdrawn, and 

 high wines gradually added to it, under the agitation of the paddle, 

 until it comes to a consistency of thick cream, so that the whole will 

 be perfectly dissolved. After this, it should be put into a cask placed 

 on end, with two cocks, one about 6 inches from the bottom of the 

 cask, the other about 2 inches from the bottom, and allowed to 

 remain undisturbed, in order to its depositing the sediment left in it, 

 until it runs off from the upper cock entirely free from sediment. It 

 may then be used for colouring the rum, and about three pints of 

 good colouring matter well concentrated ought to be sufficient for 

 100 gallons of spirit; but different markets require different shades 

 of colour, and to regulate the shade of colour must be left to the 

 judgment of the person entrusted therewith. Great care should always 

 be taken that the colouring matter does not impart any cloudiness to 

 the rum, because when rum is cloudy the value of it is very greatly 

 deteriorated. 



I would recommend colouring matter to be made in large quantity, 

 because the longer it is kept the purer it becomes.* The strength 

 of the rum generally exported from this colony is about 35 per cent, 

 overproof. 



French Guiana. — There were in 1874 about 235 hectares cultivated 

 * MacRae's ' Planters' Manual.' 



