THE UTILIZATION OF WASTE MOLASSES IN THE 
PHILIPPINE ISLANDS 
WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO THE HACIENDAS OF NEGROS 1 
By H. J. Caksten 
Of the Bureau of Science Sugar Laboratory, Iloilo 
The disposal of waste molasses has been a troublesome prob- 
lem to the modern sugar manufacturer; and on Negros Island, 
with centrals springing up like toadstools, the difficulty is en- 
hanced. 
Several schemes have been tried and, although they have helped 
to some extent, it has been practically impossible up to the 
present time to use all of the molasses produced. The following 
are some of the ways in which this product has been used: 
1. As fuel, in conjunction with bagasse. 
2. As fuel, separately. 
3. For the manufacture of alcohol and the recovery of potash from the 
waste. 
4. The solidification of molasses. 
5. Manufacture of cattle feed or easily transportable molasses. 
6. The manufacture of fuel gas. 
7. The manufacture of sugar by the Steffen process, as modified by 
Battelle. 
8. The manufacture of char and recovery of the potash. 
9. The manufacture of acetate of lime. 
10. The manufacture of glycerin by fermentation. 
1. THE BURNING OF MOLASSES IN CONJUNCTION WITH BAGGASSE 
AS FUEL 
The use of molasses as a fuel in conjunction with bagasse is 
limited. Certain mixtures of bagasse and molasses cause the 
formation of clinkers, which results in the burning of the grates. 
In most factories, where this practice was begun, it was later 
abandoned on account of the burning of the grates, damage to 
the brickwork, or because of the trouble encountered in cleaning 
the fire boxes. 
2. THE BURNING OF MOLASSES SEPARATELY AS FUEL 
Molasses has been used by itself as fuel. One of the methods 
was to spray it into the fire box under steam pressure. How- 
1 Received for publication, July 21, 1919. 
395 
