96 



NORTHERN SUGAR INDUSTRY. 



The weight of cellulose in 16.1 gms., fresh sorghum-cane chips, is 

 1.772 gms. This weight of perfectly exhausted cane pulp was put into 

 each of five flasks with the normal weight of sugar (16.19 gms.), and the 

 volume made up to 100 c. c. 



The sugar solution was then filtered and polarized, and compared 

 with a solution of sugar of the same volume to which no pulp had been 

 added. The following are the results of the experiments : 



No. 



Description. 



Polariza- 

 tion. 



Theory 

 witli pulp. 



Variation. 







Per cent. 



Per cent. 



Per cent. 



1 



Sugar without pulp . . 



98.5 







2 



With pulp 



101.0 



100. 25 



+.75 



3 



. . do 



101.0 



100. 25 



+.75 1 



4 



....do 



100.0 



100. 25 



—.25 



5 



.-..do 



101. 



100. 25 



+.75 







...do . 



100.0 



100. 25 



-.25 



Perhaps a greater number of determiuations should be made before 

 assigning a definite number to the influence of the cellulose. The re- 

 sults of the table, however, show that practically the correction assumed 

 is of the proper magnitude. I 



THE MANIPULATION. 



The chief care should be given to taking the sample. As large a 

 quantity as is convenient of the canes (or bagasses) should be passed 

 through the cutter and chopped as fine as possible. The chopped mass 

 is then thoroughly mixed and the sample taken. After weighing the 

 chips are transferred to the bottle, the vessel in which they were weighed 

 rinsed with water, and the washings poured into the bottle. This is 

 then filled to the mark, closed, and placed in cold water, which is rap- 

 idly heated to ebullition. After an hour the bottle is removed, cooled 

 slowly (do not put at once into cold water), and the solution filtered for 

 polarization or reduction. (Before filling with water a few c. c. of 

 basic acetate of lead should be added ; or the bottle may not be filled 

 quite to the mark, and after cooling lead acetate is added and the vol- 

 ume made up to the standard.) 



By having a large number of bottles many analyses can be carried on 

 at once. Since an even sample is so hard to get it is always advisable 

 to make the analyses in duplicate or triplicate and take the mean of the 

 results. 



USE OF SULPHUR. 



The use of sulphurous dioxide (sulphur fumes) in sugar work has a 

 threefold purpose. (I.) It assists in defecation. (2.) It bleaches the 

 coloring matters of the juice. (3.) It prevents fermentation. 



I hav^e already alluded to the use of sulphur as lime bisulphite, and 

 will confine this section to a discussion of the application of sulphurous 

 dioxide directly to the juice. 



