Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1833-1861, 1857-08-28

CEUx9x SUGAR CANE.
Early in the spring we gave direc-
tions, in tho AMERICAN, for planting
and cultivating the sugar cane. As
tho season for manufacturing will
soon be here, we will give some hints
on that subject.
Alter setting apart enough in the
best part of your patch to supply q
reasonable amount Of seed, the seed
of the balance should be plucked out.
This should be done after the seed
has formed, and before 1t begins to
fll, I. e., before it begins TO assume O
milky appearance, or in other words,
while the seeds are yet of green
color inside. The seed heads are
easily plncked out by grasping the
head and jerking upward. In q
short time after this is done, new
pinnacles will shoot out from the
Joints below, on which new seed
heads will form. Az soon as the seed
in these new heads have begun to
form, the whole stalk should be strip
ped bare Of all its loaves and pima
clss, leaving nothing but the naked
trunk.
With but small quantity, this can
be done by the hand, as fodder is
gathered, but If you have a large
field il IL done with an instrument
shaped much like a pruning hook,
only 1t is larger, and is not sharp.
A stroke downwards with this instru-
ment, close to the stalk, strips off not
only the pinnacles and blades, but
also the sheath around the stock at
the base of each blade. If the in
strument is sharp it does not clean
the stalk so we'll, and, besides that, it
would be likely to wound the stalk
and cause it to sour.
As soon as this is done, and you
have your mill and kettles ready, cut
it, but not until you are ready to
grind.
The grinding will be the greatest
difficulty for experimentors. We do
not think the certainty Of success Is
sufficient to justify much expense for
mills. Meanwhile every farmer must
exercise his own ingenuity for getting
out the juice. A cider mill will do.
It might be cheaper for some ten
neighbors to unite and buy one of
Scott & Hodges $50 mills, as IL is
easy to spend s5 worth Of time in
tinkering and yet not get the juice
we'll expressed. 1t can be turned by
hand. Remember tho whole thing Is
yet an experiment, and, therefore,
you should not rig expensive mills.
For experimental purposes you
may boil tho juice in ordinary sugar
kettlesx-d II Immediately. II will
Torment very soon. II must be clari-
fed while boiling.
If tho juice Is at oil acid, very
small quantity of the cream Of lime
may bc added and experience must
show ut what timo this had better be
applied. Albumen in any form may
be used as o clarifying agent. Skim
med milk, the white Of eggs, or blood,
divided through tho amss, will an
swer tho purpose. During the pro-
coss of Qualification the juice should
not be permitted TO boil, but simply
10 simmer. This will cause scum 10
rise TO the surface, which after it is
aggr egated 80 as to- cover the top,
and has settled to toughness, may be
removed by ladle pierced with small
holos. When IL ceases to throw up a
scum the concentration may then go
on till the temperature rises. by part
with water, TO 225 deg. Fahrenheit.
During this concentration, and aftcr
the removal Of the scum, the ebulition
should DO rapid, for slow boiling
toughens sugar, and prevents chrys-
talixation.
As the making of sugar Is not yet
fully tested we leave off with this
method Of making molasses. When
boiled down to the proper consistence
take it of, cool it and try II as sub
stitute for sugar house molasses. We
Will only add that the sugar is not
"stirred off," but the syrup is put
away to "drip" until It leaves the
sugar.
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