162 



SUGAR. 



Consequently, 1,000 grains of lime will require 209.50 grains 

 of carbon to convert them into carbonate of lime ; and as we have 

 seen that tlie abstraction of 24 from 100 grains of sugar convert 

 tbem into gum, it follows, that the abstraction of 209.50 grains 

 would have a similar efiect on 87,000 grains, or about 15 lbs. of 

 sugar, which, being converted into gum, would prevent the crystal- 

 lisation of several times its weight of sugar ; and this is the cause 

 of the formation of molasses. The loss of sugar is not the only 

 bad consequence of the use of lime, as the greater the quantity of 

 gum in the liquor, the more it must be boiled — the more it is boiled 

 the darker it gets — and the higher the temperature at which the 

 skip is struck, the smaller the grain. The following is a good 

 proof that lime dissolves albumen, and becomes converted into 

 chalk : — Take a spoonful of syrup out of the tache of any estate on 

 which the liquor is tempered cold ; it will be found filled with 

 small flakes ; these are albumen set free from its solution in the 

 lime by the conversion of the latter into carbonate of lime, and 

 coagulated by heat. It is perfectly possible to temper liquor, so 

 that scarcely any uncrystallisable sugar will remain ; but planters 

 do not like this ; they must have molasses for the still-house ; they 

 could, however, boil low, by which the grain and color would be 

 improved, and plenty of uncrystallised, although not uncrystalli- 

 sable, sj^rup would be left to take the place of molasses. 



I think I have now fully proved the following facts, viz. : — That 

 the use of lime in sugar-making is not to neutralise an acid ; that 

 if acidity be present, the application of lime is injurious ; that its 

 action on gluten, albumen, wax, resin, and chloropliyle is equally 

 so ; that by decomposing the sugar and forming gum, the quantity 

 of molasses or uncrystallisable sugar is much increased, whereby 

 high boiling is rendered necessary, with its consequent heighten- 

 ing of color and injury to the grain of the produce, and that 

 therefore it is perfectly unfit for the purpose of tempering cane- 

 juice. 



Messsrs, Thomas Begg and Co., of London, have procured from 

 E. P. Telchemacher and J. Denham Smith, an analysis of one gal- 

 lon of ordinary plantain juice, and one gallon of Eamos' prepared 

 plantain juice "for the purpose of ascertaining whether any sub- 

 stance can be used which, in conjunction with water, will answer 

 as a substitute for the plantain juice in the receipt which accom- 

 panied the samples." The chemists say they find that one gallon 

 of ordinary plantain juice holds in solution : — 



Extract similar to tannin . . . 25-60 grains 



Vegetable extract and fatty matter . .5770 ,, 



Carbonate of potash . . . 1 50*40 



Muriate of potash .... 33-60 „ 

 Muriate of eo.la .... 2-00 

 Silica ..... 1-20 ,, 



Contents of one imperial gallon . , 270 '50 grains 



— whilst one gallon of ''Kamos' prepared plantain juice" con- 



