66 TlMEHRI. 
The average yield of first sugar is not more than 6 o/o 
of the weight of the cane : the dry megass averages 
12 o/o of the cane : so to every ton of sugar there cor- 
responds 2 tons of megass, equivalent to § ton of coal, 
or say $4. But from this $4 must be deducted the ex- 
penses connected with the megass, that is the cost of 
carrying it to the logie, of bringing it back when dry, and 
of keeping in repair and insuring the logies. This I find 
amounts to about $2 per hhd. I shall be glad if some 
planters will corroborate this. The net value of the 
megass per hhd. of sugar is therefore only $2, so that 
diffusion is not so heavily handicapped by the absence of 
megass as many suppose. I may be told that many 
estates burn their megass direct from the mill and so 
save the logie expenses : well in that case the water as- 
sociated with the megass detracts from its value as fuel, 
and makes it worth in my opinion $2 50 instead of $4; 
but here again I should like to hear the opinions of 
others. 
Not only have we to burn coal to replace the megass, 
but also a further quantity on account of the dilution of 
the juice: I really think that another $2 would cover 
this ; and this sum of §4 per hhd. is the only extra ex- 
penditure entailed by the diffusion process. The labour 
in buildings will certainly not be more than with the 
mill, — probably less, because the diffusion battery as now 
made employs very few hands. 
Next as to the extra yield of sugar by diffusion, the 
gain will be not less than 40 0/0. If we extract 95 0/0 
of the sugar in the cane (Mr. E. F. J. MlNCHiN declared 
he got 87^ parts in 90) and recover 63 0/0 of this as dry 
crystals, not a high estimate surely, we shall obtain *6 
