NORTHERN SUGAR INDUSTRY. 



101 



(F) . — A jug so shaped as to fit tlie kettle, holding about 5 gallons. Under and 

 around the jug is sand to prevent it from heating or cooling too suddenly. The jug 

 should be heavily glazed inside. It is charged with about 2 gallons of charcoal and 

 the same quantity of strong sulphuric acid. This will make 2 barrels of bisulphite, 

 and start another, perhaps finish it. Before charging the jug again ascertain if the 

 coal in the jug is dry ; if so, put in more sulphuric acid and less coal than you did 

 before. When the residue gets too great take out the jug and clean it. 



(G) . — Copper pipe, three-quarter inch in diameter, used to convey the gas from the 

 jug to the barrel. A rubber stopper, fitting the mouth of the jug is screwed on the end 

 of the pipe entering the jug. The other end reaches almost to the bottom of the bar- 

 rel. If gas leaks about the rubber stopper keep it down with weights, and put dough 

 around the leak. It will take from six to eight hours to finish a barrel. As soon as 

 you perceive a pungent odor escaping from the barrel cover the openings. You should 

 have an opening through which you can stir the liquid occasionally. 



(H) . — Outlet made of two pieces of pipe and a globe-valve. 



This apparatus cost us |10.75. The sulphuric acid, coal, lime, and wood cost about 

 50 cents per barrel of bisulphite. The labor required in manufacturing is but trifling. 



If you wish to make sulphurous acid, charge the barrel with pure water and pro- 

 ceed as in making bisulphite. A wash bottle " (6r) can be used between the jug and 

 barrel (B). This will improve tlie product. 



In the year 1860 we bought 6 gallons of bisulphite of lime, as an experiment, pay- 

 ing 50 cents per gallon. From that time to the present we have made no sirup with- 

 out it. We paid |1I per barrel and freight, which made it almost for all we used 

 from 1861 to 1873. 



In using our bisulphite we put it into the cold juice just before the tank is full 

 The old rule was, " a quart to 50 gallons of juice." But there is no invariable rule. 

 The quality of the bisulphite, the quality of the juice, and the amount of lime used, 

 will vary the amount. 



I have made a few changes in the sketch of the apparatus as furnished 

 by Mr. Anderson. 



Instead of using a stone jug as a generator, it would be better to 

 employ one made of cast iron. Strong sulphuric acid, even when hot, 

 acts very slowly on iron. Care must be exercised, however, to avoid 

 using the dilute acid, which would rapidly dissolv^e the iron. 



Instead of copper pipes lead or glass may be used. The wash-bottle 

 should be of strong glass, and of at least 2 gallons capacity. It should be 

 filled with water to the mark indicated in the drawing. The stopper 

 should have three perforations, one to carry the tube (G). This tube 

 should extend to near the bottom of the bottle. 



The second hole is for the tube (6), which should begin about 2 inches 

 below the stopper and extend nearly to the bottom of the barrel (B.) The 

 third aperture carries the safety tube (a), which ends about an inch below 

 the liquid in the wash-bottle. This tube prevents any regurgitations 

 from the barrel into the generator. The heat should be applied slowly, 

 and regulated by watching the flow of gas through the wash-bottle.* 



HARVESTING CANE. , 



In the sugar industry every device that promises to serve true econ- 

 omy is worthy of close attention. One of the best methods of harvest 



* A gasoline stove would be better than a furnace for heating the generator. Care 

 should be taken not to raise the temperature above the point necessary for gradual 

 evolution of the gas. 



