dr autchell's experiments ox heating canes, 



97 



giobulaire" and coagulating the albuminous substance in 

 the tissue of the cane, so as to prevent its expression along 

 with the juice. The results of these experiments I shall 

 give in his own words. He premises, by saying, that the 

 experiments were made at TToodbrook mill in Trinidad : 

 and, previous to these experiments, the mill was washed 

 and sprinkled with lime water, and some of the canes 

 which had been heated were passed through it. " The 

 liquor obtained was colourless, full of floating fecuke. 

 These immediately subsided, and the residue, boiled down 

 without skimming, furnished a white sugar, without being 

 submitted to any ulterior operation. Some of the liquor 

 kept till next morning (18 hours) perfectly neutral, but 

 towards noon became acid and ropy. The proportions of 

 liquor and rnegass were changed. The former diminished 

 in quantity, but notably increased in density ; the latter 

 gained in weight and tenacity to an unexpected degree. * 

 * * On a second trial, a quantity of canes were heated, 

 by being dipped in the grand copper for 2| minutes. 

 They were ground off 15 hours afterwards, being at that 

 time 6 days cut. The liquor was received in mill tubs, 

 one of which was particularly foul, having served as a recep- 

 tacle for trash from the mill bed. This communicated a 

 certain degree of acidity to the whole. Five wine gallons of 

 this liquor, weighing 45 lbs., were taken and boiled down. 

 T\ hen the first scum was removed, the remainder appeared 

 like clarified syrup. No lime or other temper was used, 

 and the return was 9 lbs. 8 oz., or more than 21 per cent. 



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