Analysis of Sugar Cane. 



509 



oxide of lead that forms this precipitate, it hardly amounts 

 to a two-thousandth part of the weight of the cane juice. 

 Accordingly, the vesou I have analyzed is composed of 



Sugar, 20 



Mineral salts and albumen, .. . ... 1.5 



Water, 78.5 



100. 



The juice of the cane may therefore be considered as 

 an almost pure solution of sugar. This appears to be an 

 important result, for without admitting, as was formerly 

 alleged, the pre-existence of molasses or uncrystalizable 

 sugar in the cane juice, it might still be supposed to con- 

 tain some substances, the presence of which hinder the 

 crystalization of some portion of the saccharine matter. 



It is well known, that in the manufacture of sugar from 

 the cane, there is always a considerable quantity of molasses 

 formed, amounting sometimes to one-third of the sugar 

 obtained. It seems that the production of molasses may 

 be much diminished, or may entirely cease, by recourse to 

 more perfect heating apparatus. 



One of the great dangers in the manufacture of cane 

 sugar appears to consist in the rapid fermentation that the 

 vesou undergoes if exposed for some time to the air. This 

 alteration which destroys so great a quantity of sugar, may 

 probably be escaped by speedily raising the temperature of 

 the juice as soon as expressed to 2X2 Fahr. 



In defecating the juice by lime in the ordinary way, and 

 evaporating it at a rapid-fire, I have also obtained the 

 whole of the saccharine matter in a solid state, without a 

 trace of molasses. 



The leaves that I received with the vesou had been 

 cut in bits and dried in an oven at 140° Fahr. M. Faraud, 

 apothecary at Martinique, who undertook this double pre- 

 paration, obtained 7 kil. of dry cane from 24; of the fresh. 



