Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes County, Ohio) 1856-1865, 1857-10-08
Chinese Cane Syrup Making.

Patches OF the new Sugar Cane are tC
be seen in many neighborhoods, the stalks
large, tall and full Of saccharine juice
How to manufacture the juice is now the
question with many, and to aid such ii
practically answering, we publish ant
abridged notice of some instruction, from
Mr.. Olcott, who has given the new crop
from its planting till the juice has been re
duced to syrup and sugar, his particular at
tention.
First then, cut the sugar cane close to
the ground, trim off the leaves and the
tassels and it is ready for the mill. A
cider mill will do, but a better can be
purchased for small sum of money which
can be contributed by the farmers in any
neighborhood and cane mill purchased in
common, for general use. Pass the canes
through the mill two or three times
Your Juice ready, build a fire outdoors, of
charcoal, because it makes no smoke, or of
dry Findling wood, and hang your pot with,
say five gallons, over it. Then slack tea
cup full of lime, mix it to the consistency
of cream and set it by for use. Now take
the whites of two eggs, beat them up with
teacup full of the juice from tue pot, and
when thoroughly mixed, pour back and stir
them well through the mass, bring it to
the boil as soon as possible, but the mo-
nent you see the first signs Of boiling lift
the pot off the fire; set it on the ground
and let it remain quiet for fifteen or twenty
minutes. You will have perceived that
after adding the cream of lime and eggs, as
the simmering went on, thick scum began
to rise; this you mast not disturb, but al
low it to gather on the top till you take
the pot from the fire as directed, and al
low it to settle fifteen or twenty minutes.
At the end of this time carefully remove
the scum, and you will find, if you have
carefully followed these directions, that the
juice has become clear and bright, ready to
boil down to syrup or sugar. Having re-
moved the scum, empty the contents of
your pot into some clean vessel, which
you have convenient. Fill up your pot
again with the raw juice, and proceed as
before. This is the process of clarifying
defeating, and is absolutely necessary, if
you do not wish to have a dark, dirty
syrup, tasting of cane stalks, and almost
unfit for use.
After clarifying and skimming the second
pot-full as directed, set it back on the fire
and boil down as rapidly as possible. As
the quantity reduces by boiling, keep add
ing fresh juice from the first clarifcation,
so as not to let the syrup get too low in
the pot, or it will get burnt. If any scum.
arises remove it with your skinner, and
by following these directions you cannot
fail to make good syrup.
These directions proceed upon the sup
position that you have but one pot. Of
course two will very much facilitate the
process, by keeping one boiling while the
other is cooling.
To make extra syrup, filter the juice
through flannel bag before clarifying it.
You may know when it has boiled enough
by pouring some of the liquid from
skinner; few drops will remain on the
edge, falling at intervals. If those break
with long string between, which at the
break jerks back TO the dipper again, and
which, when taken between the thumb
and finger, feels lake n,olasses, it is fair to
suppose your syrup is sufficiently boiled
and you may take it from the fire,
At another time We may give some of
MIR. Olcott's remarks about the further pro-
cess of sugar-making from this cane juice.