The Kansas herald of freedom., 1857-11-07
Agr.culture.

ter calculated to affect the general welfare
of the people than this. II is singular
that agriculture, the main stay of the
country, should have been SO long neg
lected, while all other interests were pro-
vided for.
0n-the 10th of August, 1856, Congress
appropriated $4,000 for "the collection
of agricultural statistics, investigations for
promoting agricultural and rural economy.
and the procurement and distribution OF
cuttings and seeds.1
This is very fair beginning, but it is to
be hoped that it will increase with years
till it meets the wants of the country, and
supplies it with agricultural scholars, of
the same grade and efficiency as the West
Point Cadets, OF midshipmen from the
Receiving ships. II We can give the War
Department 100000 per annum, and
and the Navy 100000 per aznum, to
spend often worse than useless, we can
certainly afford the agricultural interest,
which is far greater than either of these,
at least 81 100000 per annum, and from
that, increase till it becomes one of the
leading interests of the country.
The Commissioner. CHAs. Mason, has
done himself credit, and the country a
valuable service in presenting this docu-
ment. 1t contains over 500 pages and so
fine engravings. The very valuable arti-
Gle on the disqualification Of tie juice Of
the SOrgho Sucre," we transfer entire to
our columns in order to meet the wants of
the farmers at the present time. 1t may
be well to preserve this paper for study
and future use.
GENERALIZATION OF THE JUICE OF THE
soRGHo sUCRE.
The sugar of commerce, it is well known,
is crystalline substance principally OBJ
tanned by evaporating the juice of a gi-
gantic grass (gramen) called "Sugar-cane, ("
which Is extensively cultivated for this
purpose in regions within and adjacent to
the tropics, where the climate admits of
advantages cultivation Of the plant; al
though sugar, nearly identical in character,
is manufactured III considerable abund-
ance from the beet-roOt and maple, in
countries of the northern temperate zone;
and there is fair prospect of success in
producing an article of equal, if not SUI
perior quality, in the same regions, from
another plant, the Sorgho sucre, already
introduced. AS doubts have been enter
tanned by some as to the susceptibility of
crystallizing the latter, the following facts
and principles are presented, not only to
throw light upon the subject, but to dispel
the skepticism of those who are TINS will
fully or ignorantly cropping in the dark.
The manufacture of sugar from the
tropical cane, is beset with difficulties
arising not only from the extreme liability
and rapid change of the juice from ex-
posure to the atmosphere, as it runs from
the crushing-mill. but often from the un-
ripe state of the plant itself. Hence, in
order to insure success, it is necessary that
the process be conducted under certain
conditions of temperature, modes of neu-
trallzlng the free acids contained in the
juice, and the removal of the albuminous
matter previous to evaporation and crys-
utilization.
a fresh, thin, transverse section of ripe
cane IS diaphanous, resembling similar
slice of an apple or turnip, when seen by
the naked eve. Under the microscope, it
exhibits a cellular structure the cells con-
tanning transparent fluid, but presenting
no appearance of crystals or opaque mat
ter. If the slice be dried, it becomes al
tered in its appearance, being no longer
homogeneous, as seen through a common
magnifying glass or with the unaided eye;
little dots of Opaque, whitish matter are
visible, protruding, apparently, from the
divided longitudinal tubes and transpar-
ent cells, as seen surrounding these Opaque
dots, in which, when placed in sunshine,
giittering crystals are observable, which it
may be inferred are sugar, formed in con-
sequence of the evaporation of the aque-
GUS part of the juice of the cells. These
facts would seem to prove that the sac
charine matter of the cane exists in it, in
state of solution, according to the COM
monty received opinion.
In the manner in which cane-iuiee is
usually obtained by the pressure of rollers,
it consists of acompound, not only of what
1t holds in solution, but whatever it con-
tains in suspension. However carefully
expressed, it is never at this time trans
parent, but colored and turbid, in slight
degree If viewed under microscope of
high power, innumerable granules will be
seen floating in the fluid, varying in di-
ameter from 10000 to 1900 parts of an
inch. BY careful filtration through bibu-
lous paper, most of these granules will be
separated, and the liquid will be rendered
nearly transparent. The matter of which
they chiefly consist, it is believed, is of
the nature of gluten, and has the power of
exciting fermentation, even if kept year.
It Is a question not fully determined
whether this glutinous matter exists sus-
pended in the juice. when contained in the
cells; whether it is separated from the
walls of the cells, or is produced by the
minute fragments from of the longitudinal
tubes of the cane, by the pressure en-
ploysd. 1t may here be remarked that,
besides gluten, there may be other proxi-
mate principles suspended in fresh cane
juice, such as starch, gum, wax, &C.; but
their presence, in the minute quantities in
which they occur, is probably of little i'm
portance in practice.
As to the question whether the sac
charine matter contained in cane-iuice is
altogether susceptible of being crystallized
into sugar, or In part consists of other va
rieties of sugar. which are not crystalliza-
BILE, or only so difficulty, it may be stated
that various opinions have been expressed
BY chemists in this respect. IL. Heryev.
of France, contends that there is no IN.
erystallizsble sugar in pre-existence in the
cane, and that the formation of glucose
(grape sugar) or molasses is only owing
to the action of the salts contained in the
liquid during the manufacturing process
Be this as it may. it is certain that the
greater portion of the saccharine matter of
the juice is crystallizable. and may be OBJ
tanned in the state of crystals, if, after
Il H. Al