Some Experiments on Sugar Cane. 67 
with the aftual percentages, also given in the table, as 
determined by complete analysis.* 
It may also be pointed out that a single faftor applied 
indiscriminately as in the table to canes of very various 
kinds, may not give such closely accordant results as one 
specially determined for a particular kind of cane, as, for 
instance, the creole cane of this colony. Moreover, the 
analyses on which the table is founded are not all of 
equal value ; several consist of the earlier ones made at 
the Government Laboratory before the best way of con- 
ducing the analysis had been arrived at, and before 
experience had shown the necessity of attending to 
certain details and precautions in carrying out the 
operations. The analysis showing the lowest quotient 
— that of the first Barbados elephant cane — was one 
of the earliest ones, and was made only with great 
difficulty. The cane was so brittle that it broke in 
short pieces on being ground, and before the washing 
out of the sugar could be completed the megass was in 
powder. The cane was very large and unwieldy and 
an enormous quantity of water was used to wash the fibre 
free from sugar. I have very little doubt if this analysis 
* By means of this fa6tor some idea can also be obtained of the com- 
position of the canes, which, analysed some 50 years ago have served 
ever since as examples for our text books and sugar authorities, and as 
a basis on which to rest much unmerited censure of the cane sugar in- 
dustry. Thus, Casaseca (about 1840) analysing cane yielding juice of 
ii° Bm. and containing 16*4 per cent, of fibre, estimated the sugar 
present at 177 per cent. Peligot, in 1839, operating with cane giving 
juice also of about n° Bm., and containing 9*9 per cent, of fibre, 
estimated the sugar at 18 per cent. Probably neither sample actually 
contained more than 11x1*35 = 14-85 per cent. Dupuy in 1840 gave 
i7*8 as the percentage of sugar in cane yielding juice of 10*5° Bm., 
whereas the attual quantity could not have been far from i4'2°/ . 
I 2 
