MITCHELL — SULPHITES AND BISULPHITES. 
141 
action of a Bisulphite in the principal manufacture of the 
West Indies. M. Melsons was one of the first chemists 
who drew attention to the powerful influence of the Bisul- 
phite of Lime as an anti-ferment in preserving the complex 
and unstable juice of the Beet from decomposition during 
the process of manufacture into sugar. Previous to his 
announcement the Bisulphites of Lime and Alumina had 
been already tried on cane juice, but without producing any 
practical result worth mentioning, and subsequently as far 
back as 1852 this Bisulphite was essayed in Trinidad and 
elsewhere with varying success, but not with such results 
as to ensure its adoption. It is only within the last two 
years that the Demerara planters have reduced to practise 
so valuable an agency, and, to their credit be it said, the 
adoption of the Bisulphite of Lime is there almost in gene- 
ral use as an anti-ferment in the treatment of cane juice. 
The mode of applying this salt I give in the words of Mr. 
S. Lambert, a gentleman of Demerara who has occupied 
himself much with the chemistry of the neglected cane : 
“ one-half per cent, of Bisulphite of Lime, or one half gal- 
“ Ion to one hundred gallons of cane juice is passed through 
“ a small worm-tap into the juice at the nearest point to the 
“ mill bed, with a small dripping stream so graduated as to 
“ distribute this dose as uniformly as possible through the 
“whole mass in the receiver. The juice is thenceforth 
“ treated as in the usual manner with Lime. Since the 
“ adoption of this plan, the results are announced day by 
“ day in a most satisfactory manner, and it is worthy of re- 
“ mark that those who saw at the December Exhibition the 
“ Bisulphite of Lime open-pan sugar for the first time, a :d 
“ have since adopted the plan, have made better sugar than 
“ the original experimentalists ; a result apparently due to 
