326 TlMEHRI. 
and I am quite at a loss to explain why the woody 
matter should have been increased so much in late years. 
Fifteen years ago it was rare to find well-grown canes 
carrying more than than 10 per cent., now it is fair to 
avenge them at 12 per cent, and the present sea- 
son has disclosed canes grown on coast lands rising 
as high as 18 per cent, and over. 
In two cases which came under my special notice the 
one sample from the River, had ... ... 11*95 Fibre 
and the other from the West Coast had ... 18*22 do. 
The respective crushing was 66 0/0 and 59 0/0. 
River cane fibre 11 "95 x 2 
23*90 — 100 = 76-10. .. 
Aaual 66 
7610 prime crushing. 
Under prime crushing . 
Coast cane fibre 18*22 
)ast cane hbre io , 22 x 2 "| 
„ } 63*56 prime crushing. 
36*44 - 100=6356 J JD * 5 
Actual 59'85 
Under prime crushing 37] 
In the latter case 190 indicated horse power was 
exerted to make a ton of sugar per hour whereas with 
canes carrying 12 0/0 fibre no indicated horse power 
gave 66 0/0 crushing and a ton of sugar per hour. 
I have long come to the conclusion that megass carry- 
ing away twice its own weight of juice is prime crushing 
with a single mill; thus 11*95 x 3 = 35*85, 100 = 
35*85 = 64-15 per cent., so that 66 per cent, is excellent 
from the above sample of River canes. 
Having, I hope, made myself understood on the 
present system of extracting the juice from the cane by 
