Polynesian. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu], Hawaii) 1844-1864, 1853-07-30

U.UV
lS4I-42 &c 's l25,OOO
1928 &c g I4O,3l6
1894 &c &C 100, ,3i6
lSl4,45 &c &c 2O4,9
Each hogshead averaging 1000 lbs. net,
and yielding from As to SO gallons Of molas-
ses.
In 1928 the hogsheads of sugar manu-
factured, amounted to 32l 1874.
We have given these statistics with the
view Of showing the vast interest the people
have in Louisiana in this important produce
Of the soil, as well as to put, in the most i'm
portant light, the suggestions of inventive in
genuity for facilitating, increasing, and i'm
proving the growth and manufacture Of su-
gar.
Among the most beautiful and successful
inventions, lately applied to the manufacture
of sugar, is unquestionably, Herds Pa
tent Centrifugal Machine; bat, as the value
Of this machine can only be understood by
suits, we feel almost compelled, even at the
risk of incumbering our article with what
may appear little prevalent, to give as brief
a description as we can of the ordinary pro-
cess of sugar manufacturing, and, in doing
this, we may as well take the process as ex-
planned to us on the plantation of Mr.. Knox.
The juice having been expressed from the
cane, and received in its appropriate recep-
tacle, is passed from thence into boiler,
heated (if our memory serves) by steam
jackets. The cane-juice, when it arrives at
the boiling house, to which it passes from the
last strainer after its expression from the
cane, contains
Water, Green Fecula, H
Sugar, Green Wax (chlorophyle,
Woody Fibre, Gum,
Gluten, Saline Matter.
We do NOT think it necessary to describe
the various processes by which defacation or
cleansing of the syrup is made. The object
of all the processes in the boiling house is TO
make complete separation of all extraneous
matter from the cane-juice, so as to bring it
as nearly as possible to the state of sugar
the condition Of fine white syrup, which
will resdly crystalize.
In the whole of this delicate and impor-
tant operation, much, in short, everything,
depends upon the experience and observa-
ton of the operator, and he must rely more
upon his judgment and experience than upon
any definite rule laid down in books, however
scientific.
In the boiling house, the syrup goes through
three or four bollings, having been purified
by lime, or such other agents as the operator
may think best From the boilers it is press
ed into receptacle beneath the vacuum pan,
to which it is drawn up by means of an air
pump, and in which it is further evaporated
at temperature of from 1909 to 1902 Fair
After having been sufficiently evaporated in
the vacuum pan, it is sent to large recep-
tace, where it cools and crystalizes. The
next process is, to separate the molasses
from the crystals Various methods have
been employed to facilitate and perfect this
operation. Air-tight boxes placed at the
bottom Of the vessels containing the crys-
taized mass, have been employed, and with
success: but, with all this aid, it takes great
deal of time TO draw off the moiasses from
the sugar. The great object of Herds Pa
tent Centrifugal Machine is to hasten this
operation, and which it does with rapidity
and success truly wonderful. We saw about
one hundred and sixty pounds of cistern bot
toms thrown into this machine, and in two
minutes and half's time we held in our
hands some beautiful dry white sugar fit for
the market. Although the Centrifugal ma
chine is immeasurably valuable to those
planters who evaPorate by open boilers in
stead ofthe vacuum pan, there is more econ
omy when the vacuum pan is used. For in
stance, Mr.. Knox informed US, from the first
drain he was enabled to obtain, by the use
Of the Centrifugal Machine, fifty per cent. of
sugar; from the second boiling in the vacuum
pan, twenty-five per cent, and so on. We
have never seen machine in operation for
any purpose where the results were so GER
tainly successful as the machine Of which we
are speaking. We could scarcely have
thought it possible unless we had seen it with
our own eyes, that dirty, brown, crude
looking mass of stuff could, by any mechani-
cal process in the world, as if by the touch
of magic, have been converted into white,
dry, delicious article Of luxury, fit to adorn
the table of the wealthy and fastidious.
The pan in which the crude mass Of cis-
tern bottoms is put, is cylindrical vessel,
the sides of which are made Of metal pierced
with innumerable small holes. This vessel
moves on an axle with in another vessel, which
ceives the refuse thrown off by the centrifu-
gal action given to the inner one. By the
rapid revolution of the inner pan-which
makes twelve hundred revelations per min
ute-the molasses, or syrup, contained in the
cistern bottoms, is thrown out, whilst the crys-
tails of sugar are left clingins to the sides
When the molasses has been thrown off q
small quantity of water is thrown in, whilst
the pan is still in motion. The movement is
so rapid that the water passes through the
mass Of sugar sticking to the side, and whilst
il washes away any coloring matter thai