METHOD PRACTISED IN THE WEST INDIES. 131 



with the next day's liquor, and so on. The temperature of 

 the atmosphere being usually about 80° F., which is that 

 most favourable to the development of fermentation : the 

 rapid deterioration of the juice, when exposed to its action, 

 under such unfavourable circumstances, cannot be wondered 

 at ; and at this stage the first great evil is effected which 

 renders the subsequent treatment much more difficult, and 

 causes a certain loss of saccharine matter : creating in its 

 place a substance which continues to act injuriously upon 

 the remainder during the whole of the subsequent process. 



After running into the clarifler, racking copper or sim- 

 merer, as it is variously designated, the temperature of the 

 liquor is raised to about 140°, and it is then tempered; 

 that is, milk of lime is added in sufficient quantity to cause 

 a coagulation of the impurities contained in it. The 

 sufficiency of lime required for this purpose is noted by 

 filling a glass with the tempered liquor, and observing the 

 separation of the flaky feculencies which are to be seen 

 floating in the clear liquid. The separation of the coagulse 

 is made more or less perfect according to the judgment of 

 the operator, as some kinds of cane juice will not bear a 

 sufficient quantity of lime to effect this completely without 

 discolouring the sugar. After a sufficient quantity of lime 

 has been added to it, the liquor is smartly stirred with a 

 ladle or other suitable instrument, and the temperature is 

 raised until a thick scum gathers on the surface, on the 

 cracking or bursting of which, as the liquid approaches the 

 point of ebullition, the fire is withdrawn, and it is left for a 



