SUGAE. 



203 



tracted, the dried cuttings are put into a series of closed vessels connected by 

 pipes, and by a system of continuous filtration of warm water through these . 

 vessels the solution of sugar is obtained, of a density equal, I believe, to 25 de- 

 grees Baume ; it is a good deal coloredj and requires filtration through animal 

 charcoal. Mr. Dequesne informed me that for five years he had been unable to 

 make this mode of sugar-making cover its expenses, owing to the loss oc- 

 casioned by fermentation taking place in the beet-root ; but that he has now 

 entirely overcome that difficulty ; by what means I was not told. 



The number of macerating vessels is fourteen, ten of which are working at a 

 time, the other four filling and emptying. 



A greater number of vessels, Mr. Dequesne thinks, would be advantageous, 

 as cold instead of hot water could then be employed. He thinks a similar plan 

 might be introduced in the West Indies with great advantage, and that by em- 

 ploying the proper means to prevent fermentation the sun's heat would be quite 

 sufficient to dry the cane slices. 



Mr. Dubranfaut and Mr. Rouseau's processes are patented in England. The 

 terms for the use of the former would, I was told, be made so moderate, as to 

 offer no obstruction to its being used in the colonies. What Mr. Eouseau's 

 terms are I could not learn. 



There are now 288 works making beet root sugar in France, and over 30 in 

 Belgium. The same manufacture is rapidly spreading in Germany and Russia, 

 and is now being introduced in Italy. Whilst at Valenciennes, I learned that 

 two English gentlemen had just preceded me in visiting the works in that 

 neighbourhood, mentioning that they had in view introducing the beet root 

 sugar manufacture in Ireland. 



The sugar crop of France was last year over 60,000,000 of kilogrammes 

 (60,000 tons). For two years Belgium h%s been exporting to the Mediterranean. 

 One maker told me that he had last year* exported a considerable part of his 

 crop. It would therefore appear, that even beet root sugar can compete in 

 other than the producing country with the sugar of the tropics — a most signifi- 

 cant hint that, unless the cane can be made to yield more and better sugar than 

 is now generally got from it, there is some risk of its being ultimately beaten 

 by the beet root, the cultivation of which is now carried on with so much profit 

 that new works are springing up every year, ia almost every country of the 

 continent. 



In going through the French works, I made inquiries as to how far the pre- 

 cede Mclsens had been adopted, and was everywhere told it was a total failure. 

 I, however, determined to see Mr. Melsens and judge for myself how far it 

 might be applicable to the cane, even if a failure with regard to the beet root. 

 I, therefore, went on to Brussels, enclosed my letters of introduction and card, 

 and received in return a note, appointing to meet me next morning. I found 

 him one of the best and most obliging of men. He immediately offered to go 

 over some experiments on beet root juice with me at his laboratory, where I 

 accordingly spent the greater part of two days with him, and went over a 

 variety of experiments ; and from what I saw and assisted in doing, I feel 

 strongly inclined to think that, notwithstanding the French commission at 

 Martinique report otherwise, some modification of Mr. Melsens' process may be 

 most advantageously employed in making cane sugar if not as a defecator, at 

 least to prevent fermentation, and, probably, also as a decolorising agent. 



Mr. Melsens showed me letters he had received from Java from a person with 

 whom he had no acquaintance, stating that he had used the bisulphate of 

 lime with complete success ; and whilst I was with him he again received 

 letters from the same person, stating that by its use he had not only improved 

 the quality of sugar, but had raised the return to 9 per cent, of the weight of 

 cane. From the letters which I saw, the process appears to have been tried on 

 a very large scale, with the advantage of filters and a vacuum pan. Where 

 the old mode of leaving half the dirt with the sugar, and boiling up to a tem- 

 peratui-e of 340 degrees or thereby is continued, I fear there is not much chance 

 of ^either bisulphate or anything else making any very great improvement. 



The use of bisulphate of lime is patentee! in England and the colonics, but I 

 believe I may state the charge for the right of using it will be made extremely 

 moderate. 



