SUGAR FROM SORGHUM 
229 
From analysis of the scum the quantity of the sugar in it was 
found to be equal to that of the juice. 1 Thus a source of waste 
is prevented. 
The maximum yield of sugar can be obtained from car¬ 
bonization, but it is fatal to the manufacture of molasses, as 
it darkens too much the juice. But Dr. Wiley has suggested a 
modification of the process, which, he believes, will prevent 
this difficulty. 2 
From the last “Chemical Bulletin of the Agricultural De¬ 
partment,” 3 published since the Fort Scott experiments, 
the chemist in charge, in a general review of the work, points 
to the “absolute failure of the experiments to demonstrate 
the commercial practicability of manufacturing sorghum 
sugar.” Among the causes of this failure he mentions: — 
“ 1. Defective machinery for cutting the cane and for ele¬ 
vating and cleaning the chips and for removing exhausted 
chips. 
“2. The deterioration of the cane, due to much of it be¬ 
coming over ripe, but chiefly to the fact that time would gener¬ 
ally elapse after the canes were cut before they reached the 
diffusion batteries. 
“3. The deteriorated cane caused a considerable inver¬ 
sion of the sucrose in the battery — an inversion which was 
increased by the delay in furnishing chips, owing to the de¬ 
fects of machinery.” 
The chemist in charge of these experiments states that he 
should be glad to “leave this industry in a more promising 
condition. All admit that the process of diffusion has been 
successfully worked out.” And to this opinion Dr. Wiley 
subscribed, “with the reservation that a proper mechanical 
method for distributing over the chips a substance to prevent 
inversion of the sucrose has not yet been discovered.” 
There is a difference of opinion as to the best method of 
treating the diffusion juices. Some method of purification by 
carbonatation or other means, may easily be decided on. But 
1 Bui. No. 5, Chem. Div. Dept, of Agr., p. 57. 
2 Bui. No. 14, Chem. Div. Dept, of Agr., p. 40. 
3 Ibid. 
