166 



SUGAR. 



cent, of crystallisable sugar could be recovered from it, and this 

 per centage miglit possibly even be found to admit of increase by 

 the further treatment with lime-water and the gunstock tree 

 as already suggested, for the first clarification of the liquor re- 

 ceived from the mill. With this view, Mr. Fo^Ties recommends 

 the substitution of puncheons, or casks, for the molasses cisterns 

 ordinarily employed in the curing-house, to receive the molasses 

 as it drains from the new sugar, and thus retaining it until after 

 the busy period of crop time has closed. 



Should sugar of a whiter quality than the ordinary muscovado of 

 commerce be desired, this advantage may be readily obtained, as 

 Mr. Fownes judiciously observes, by filtering the thin syrup, ready 

 for the vacuum-pan, through a bed of fine charcoal, as is done by 

 the sugar refiners, and afterwards washing the crystals of sugar 

 with white syrup, when the molasses has thoroughly drained from 

 them. By this process, which, however, is attended with some in- 

 crease of expense, and may not, in consequence, be always advi- 

 sable, muscovado sugar may be obtained, of a quality hardly in- 

 ferior to that of refined sugar. Mr. Townes thus sums up the 

 principal points to which he is desirous of calling the attention of 

 the intelligent and enterprising planter. 



1. "To obtain, by the use of a properly-constructed mill, the 

 greatest possible amount of juice from the cane." 



By this, according to Mr. Eownes, a gain of from 20 to 30 per 

 cent., equivalent to as much marketable sugar, may be obtained 

 without any additional expense ; but as, from Mr. Eownes' own 

 showing, there is a residuum of 10 to 15 per cent, of liquor obsti- 

 nately retained by the megass, or cane trash, after the most 

 powerful pressure to which it can be subjected ; much, if not all, 

 even of this loss might be prevented by subjecting the megass, on 

 issuing from between the rollers, to the action of water for a brief 

 time, passing it once more through the mill, and adding the sac- 

 charine solution so obtained, or that obtained directly from the 

 cane on its first crushing. The water thus employed would serve 

 for many successive portions of megass, until at length it became 

 so richly loaded with saccharine matter as to be worth attention 

 in the boiling-house ; or, at all events, it would be serviceable for 

 the cattle, who would fatten rapidly upon it. By this addi- 

 tional process a further gain of at least five per cent, might be ex- 

 pected, raising the total gain from improvements in this^r^^ stage 

 of the process, to from 25 to 35 per cent. 



2. "To clarify and filter this juice with expedition, and to 

 evaporate it rapidly, either over the open fire or by steam heat, 

 as far as it can be done with safety." 



By the use of steam, not only is a vast economy of fuel 

 efi'ected, but the temperature is maintained at a uniform and sufli- 

 cient standard, and the liquor efiectuall}^ guarded against the risks 

 of carelessness or ignorance. Coal may be obtained on far cheaper 

 terms, in exchange for produce, from the United States or from 

 Cape Breton J than from England ; and as colliers from those quar- 



