90 



MANUFACTURE OF SUGAR. 



the syrup high coloured and almost uncrystailizable. ,; Dr. 

 Evans, in describing the saline constituents of cane-juice, 

 remarks : — ee I have already stated, on the authority of 

 Peligot, who has given much attention to this subject, 

 that one part of chloride of sodium will combine with 

 nearly six times its bulk of sugar, and form a deliquescent 

 compound which is capable of liquifying another portion of 

 sugar equal to itself in bulk. It is also very probable that 

 the other saline constituents may likewise form similar 

 combinations. Their presence therefore must always be 

 considered injurious. " There is no means of removing 

 these saline substances from cane-juice when once infused 

 in it; therefore, as I have before observed, the utmost 

 rapidity of manufacture is necessary to limit their dele- 

 terious action as much as possible, particularly when they 

 exist in excess. 



The azotised substances contained in cane-juice consist 

 of some compounds of proteine, which, although they 

 approach nearly to the appearance and properties of the 

 recognised varieties which exist in other vegetables, are not 

 all similarly acted on by the usual re-agents, and from this 

 circumstance, much difference of opinion has existed among 

 the various persons who have examined them. One of the 

 most important, or, at least, the most prominent of these 

 compounds, is a substance resembling vegetable albumen, 

 and, like it, readily coagulated by heat or infusion 

 of tannin, but which does not undergo any change, or, 

 at least, any instantaneous change, when exposed to the 



