Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1857-08-22
i armer's 4epa1tmtnt.
Directions for Sugar-Making.

Messrs. Hedges, Fee & Co., Sugar Refners
Of Philadelphia, make the following reply to
the editor oftLe american Agriculturist, dated
the 10th ult., on the subject of Sugar making,
which will be found to possess interest, espe.
ciaily as in the last paragraph they stated
that sugar can be made from the Chinese
cane:
a reply TO your inquiries in relation to the
requisite instruction for arranging mills, boil
ers, tanks, filters, coolers, &c. &c, and then
also, the "modus operandi" after all are
ready will be rather difficult to give in a man.
ner satisfactory, even to ourselves with the
light before us. We have spared no pains or
time in collecting information to enable US,
as far as possible, to give to others engaged
in the pioneering Of this new Sugar Cane
movement. We shall do the best we can,
however, and urge those engaged in it to be
thorough in experimenting, try all the modes
and means known, and be sure to keep some
careful record for future use. In the course
OF two weeks we expect to be in possession
of the results of a test in Florida, near
Orange Springs, which shall be make public
Uadterer Il iS.-Mismanagement has deprived
US Of the cane We had planted in the hot
house, for early test. The first that will he
worked besides that in Florada, will be at
Gov lIammond's, of S c., about the 10th or
10Th Of August.-Col. Peters tells US that
his seventy acres Of "Sorgho," is now about
six feet high, and will be ready from lst to
18th Of September: he has some earlier
planted that he will work about the goth of
August. On this he uses II two horse mill
just being shipped by us, and steam power
mill for his large crop. He only designs
making syrup or molasses, except, perhaps,
small experiment with sugar.
no ho oil c,t,
not attempting to work it until the seed is
fully out of the milk, and as some of the
tillers will be rather later than others, it will
no doubt be better 10 throw them out for
fodder than jeopardise the rest The leaves
should be stripped off before cutting and the
top cut oil wuhthe seed some two and a half
V9hree feet down, as there is not much sac
charIne juice in the upper end. Then if your
apparatus is ready, cat and grind as fast as
you cut, and boil US fast as you grind, since
the less time the stalks or cut cane is exposed
the better. The juice, if concentrated by the
usual process, will pass through two selves
first No. and then No. l6 set over large
tin flannel Immediately under the mill (which
will be set about three feet from the ground
upon three posts firmly bedded iG the ground
about three feet.) This funnel is contracted
to q pipe of two inches in diameter and run
ming under ground past the horses track and
entering tank either lined with tin or
painted thoroughly. aud vanished so as to be
mperyious to the juice and easily washed
clean, when left idle for even an hour. The
nice is raised by tin buckets or tin or
copper pump, from this to a elarifor. This
may be of sheet iron No. s, and abort twelve
inches deep, and large enough to Gil your
first kettle, and set higher, with draw OF
pipe and stop-cock entering at the botl ON.
This clari6er is set so that the heat is applied
under it after leaving the range of boilers,
and may be shut of by damper into another
side fine while you discharge this pan. The
heat being applied slowly, thick scum arises,
aud when near boiling you change dampers
and draw off until the juice begins to show
sediment or scum then clean the pan and
fill again, and so on Now in this first
kettle you add lime well slsked and sifted
until your juice will not change the color Of
itmus paper, (which can be got at any good
drug store quite cheaply) While the juice
is acid it will change to a reddish hue, and
if thus boiled will neither granulate or keep
sweet as molasses.
With our two horse mill of rollers II inches
long. we use three boilers holding 60, 40 and
20 gallons, with the latter Immediately over
the fire and set with faring walls or jambs,
rising above each about 6, 8 and 10 inches,
aud completely cemented with water line
The last, or 20 gallon boiler, should be higher
than the 40. and that above the 60. so that
the scum will run through the gap into the
should also be thrown back whenever accu.