272 
SOUTHERN CULTIVATOR. 
A GOOD AND CHEAP SUGAR MILL. 
Editors Southern Cutivator — By the request of one 
of your subscribers, I send you a draught of a Cane Mill, 
accompanied by a plan to build. It is the simplest, easi- 
est to make, and the steadiest of any mill in use in this 
•country. I have one put up on the same plan, of my own 
snake, (except the rollers, which are cast.) It is decidedly 
an improvement on the old way of putting them on a 
platform. Put the posts in the earth deep, and they are 
as immovable as the mud-sills of a tnill-house. Aftar they 
are once framed, two good hands caih put them up or take 
them down in ten minutes. 
DESCRIPTION OF DRAUGHT. 
1. 1. are posts, five feet tv/o inches above the ground, 
10 by 14 inches, let in the ground 3 or 4 feet. Two feet above 
the ground, make a mortice four inches deep and ten in- 
ches wide, running up the post fourteen inches, then cut 
out to one side five inches v/ide, so that the bed piece and 
jower-collar beam may be adjusted without disturbing the 
posts afier they are once set in the ground. 13 1-2 in 
'Ches above the 14 inch mortice, cut a tenon on the end of 
;Post iOby 4 inches; bore a 1 1-4 inch auger hole 4 3-4 
• inches from shoulder in the middle of the tenon and your 
posts ar€ finished. 
2, is bed piece, 4 by 20 inches, 6 feet eight inches long, 
tenon cut to fit mortice in the posts ; cut a wide trench on 
«ach edge of the top side of the bed p'ece, a little longer 
than the width of the rollers, deeper at one end than the 
other, so as to collect and convey off the juice as it falls 
from the mill, connect them by a trench at the lower end, 
then cut a lip to empty juice in tub c. 
3 is the lower collar beam, 6 feet 8 inches long, 5 by 1 0 
inch., tenon cut to fit mortice in post, three round morti- 
ces cut 14 inches from centre to centre, somewhat oblong, 
for the reception of the necks of the rollers, trim off the 
lop side rounding to prevent the juice from running down 
Ihe neck of the rollers. It is necessary to keep them dry. 
a, a, are mortices cut on the top side for the keys that 
work against the neck of the rollers ; they are 4 by 4 in- 
xhes, 10 inches long, cut hollowing at one end to fit the 
taeck more closely, b, b, are tightening keys, 3 by 2 in- 
ches, tapered to one end, 2 by 1 inch, 12 inches long; 
before you begin to grind, tack a piece of tin over the 
bottom keys to keep them dry. 
4, 4, 4, The rollers turned round, a little full in the mid- 
dle. They are 18 inches long and 14 inches in diameter, 
with necks 5 inches long and 5 inches in diameter, ex- 
cept the upper neck of the middle roller, which is 22 
inches long, and 6 inches diameter. Cut a groove near the 
edge of the lower end of the rollers to prevent the juice from 
running down the necks. Cut a groove 4 inches from top 
edge of the rollers f of an inch deep and 2 inches wide to 
receive cogs, which are U by 2 inches and 4 inches long ; 
give them equal space on the outer surface ; let them into 
the rollers 3 inches make them out seasoned hickory; of 
drive them in. tight, then saw them off 1 j inches from the 
bottom of the groove; trim the ends rounding. 
5. Is top collar beam, 5 by 10 inches and 9| feet long ; 
cut mortices to receive tenons on the end of the post, ob- 
long mortices to correspond with those in the lower col- 
lar beam for the necks of the rollers ; also keys for the same. 
6. Is gimlet handle, 5 by 8 inches, 9 feet long; mortice cut 
in the middle 6 by 4 inches, to receive tenon, on the neck 
of the middle roller. Cut open, sloping mortices at each 
end to receive the levers. 
7. 7, Levers 4 by 4 inches, tapered to 4 by 3 inches 
and 16 feet long; put them together with ^ inch iron bolts, 
with good taps, 
b, b, are mortices for the tightening keys to work in, 
against the ends of the others. 
Having all timber ready, begin to put them together. 
First set the posts firmly in the ground, 6 feet apart, per- 
pendicular; see that one is not lower than the other; ram 
them well, then put in the bed piece ; next the lower col- 
lar beam ; now set up the rollers ; next the lop collar 
beam ; pin it down well next the gimlet handle; wedge 
it well about the neck of the rollei ; and lastly put up the 
levers; put in the iron bolts and sciew them tight ; wedge 
down both ends of the lower collar beam. Now if your 
mill is plumb and true, you are ready ..to begin to grind. 
Tighten the keys a little at a time, until it is tight enough, 
and then keep it so. Grind out a boiling as soon as pos- 
sible ; put it in the boilers ; start it off with a moderate fire ; 
skim off v,7hat rises to the top ; continue to boil it until it 
flakes off of tfie cooler pretty largely ; then it is syrup. If 
you wantto make sugar, boil it until the foam looks like 
it rises from the sides of the boiler and makes to the mid- 
dle,and you are sure to have some sugar. Black gum makes 
an excellent roller. The timbers for the frame sliould be 
sawed. With all the timbers at the place, such a mill can 
be put up for 6 or 8 dollars. Sidney Burton. 
Glasgow, Ga., 1857. 
