100 



MANUFACTURE OF SUGAR. 



for burning in three or four days. There is no increased 

 expenditure of fuel in thus heating the cane. It forms the 

 first step in evaporation, and clarifies the liquor before it is 

 exposed to atmospheric action, and the irruption of the 

 azotised elements into the cells. The excess of heat escap- 

 ing from the crushing cane, carries with it the surrounding 

 moisture, and the fibre is immediately dried. . * * * 

 In testing the density of the respective liquors, it was 

 found, that while the ordinary mill liquor marked 10°,. 

 the other marked 11° Beaume. * * * The micro- 

 scope shows no alteration in the appearance of the cells, 

 after exposure to elevated temperature, and indicates the 

 probability, that while, by the action of heat, many of the 

 unelaborated constituents of the sap are fixed in the fibrous 

 tissue, the cells themselves are ruptured, and pour forth,, 

 under the action of the mill, a nearly pure secretion, dense 

 in proportion to the maturity of the plant. The purity of 

 the liquor will simplify the boiling-house arrangements, 

 and the present regiment of clarifiers and coppers be 

 replaced by flat pans commensurate to the work required/' 

 It is evident from the result of these experiments, that 

 by exposing the cane to a temperature equal to that of 

 boiling water, the albumen and chlorophylle become coag- 

 ulated, and the vitality of the other proteine compounds is 

 destroyed or arrested while yet in the cane. The megass 

 becomes sensibly increased in weight and tenacity, by the 

 fixing of these substances in the fibrous tissue; and the 

 evaporation of moisture, by the escape of heat during 



