Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1857-09-24
Chinese Sugar Cane.


SUGAR OR SYRUP MAKfse-A variety Of
methods may be adopted for trying few bills
of the cane. The simplest we have heard Of
| is, to crush the canes By beating and rolling
on a table or board with common rolling
pin, catching the juice ia pan, and boiling it
down in kettle.
Another Cut up the canes very short in
straw cutter, and put them into kettle OF
water and boil out the sweetness. After boil.
| ing for time, the pieces are put into strong
bag, the juice pressed out, and the whole Ii.
quid boiled down. Both the above were tried
last year
Others will, this year, use the common su-
gar-crushing mill, one of which may be found
in most stores where sugar is sold Where
these are used it will he necessary to crush
the joints first by heavy blows with hummer
and then run them through two or three times,
moving the rollers nearer together each time
A wooden crusher may be made by turning
out two wooden rollers, say by 10 inches in
diameter. These may be placed together in
two pieces of plank, and heavy long crank be
| fitted upon the end of one of them To keep
them close together, hole may be made edge
wise through the pIanks, and tapering wedge
driven in over the two ends of the upper rol.
Ter Driving this in will bring the roller
down. 1t will be necessary to have long
crank, made strong, in order to get power
enough to press out any considerable portion
Of the Juice It will be also necessary to break
the joints first with hammer AS matter
of course, none of these simple contrtivance
will extract all the juice, but they may be
adopted where but small trial is contemplat-
ed. Iron rollers and coz siderable power is
requisite for economical extraction of the juice
in any bat limited experiments
BOILING THE SYRUP
For the smaller experiments alluded to- the
juice may be boiled down in a common brass,
or even an iron kettle. 1t is important to
put the Juice to boiling as soon as extracted
as it soon commences souring on exposure 10
! the air In all cases, little milk of lime or
lime water, should be added to the juice, using
about spoonful of Stacked lime mixed with
| half pint Of water, to four CT five gallons OF
the Juice.
| The first heating should be slow until most
| Of the scum is removed, when it may be some
| what rapid, but as the juice thickens, the 6rs
must be lessened, to avoid burning. When
new portion of the liquid is to be added to
that already boiling, its should first be boiled,
and skinned in seperate kettle, and be add
as any scum rises 1t will perhaps be advisa-
scum Is removed and the remainder when the
liquid has become entirely clear.
The degree of concentration requisite eau
be judged by trial A little of the syrup can
from time to time be taken out and cooled
The boiling should be continued until the
syrup becomes quite thick and ropy 1t 10
yaf faH vbafh tha
crystalize by simply boiling down. And any
one can readily try the effect of condensng
little of the syrup over slow fire until it
becomes thick mass, and then set it aside to
crystalize, if it will do SO. A specimen OF
thick syrup made at Hampstead, L. l., and
sent to US last Fall, was left in tin box with
cover fitting loosely, and after drying several
months, distinct crystals of sugar collected up
On the bottom and sides of the box
TINE OF CUTTING THE PLANTS.
The point of maturity at which the canes
will yield the greatest amount of saccharine
(sweet) material has yet to be ascertained.
The experiments thus far made, indicate
that this period is just when the seeds are RI
penng which is indicated by Il cir assuming
black glossy color, but before ley become
hard and fully ripe. If cut at this stage, the
Seeu eau De saFeu WITHOUT llllurlnR the yieiQ
of juice. The heads or seed panicles may 10
taken off with foot or more of the upper
stalks, at this part contains very little sweet
juice AS soon as the stalks are cut, strip off
all the leaves, which may be saved for fodder,
and crush the canes and boil the juice at once
The sted may be stripped off and cleaned
at leisure. This can be done with scupper
or hatchel similarity to broom corn On
large scale, it can be taken off by running
through common threshing machine, or with
fail The seeds are tender, however, and
liable to be injured for planting, by too rough
usage.
AS to the future value of the Chinese Sugar
Cane, there will be abundant experiments on
large scale this year, to settle the point con-
| clusively. These we shall study carefully, and
give the result. II is therefore useless to dis
cuss that matter at this early date. On this
subject any information of practical import
will be gladly received, whether favorable or
not.-Ameriean Agrieulturist.