The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1857-10-17
From tie AgricnHurist Of September.
Sugar Cane and Sugar Making.

Sugar Cane and Sugar Making.
A majority of our readers have small plots
OF the Chinese Sugar Cane, which they plant
ed for the purpose of''seeing how it looked"
or how it wonld grow with them, and also to
secure seed for their own raising for another
| year, should it be wanted. Owing to wet,
late spring, some did not plant at all, while
with others, the seed rotted in the ground.
| Up to August 1st, reports from many parts of
the country were dscouraging, but since
then, we have had very different accounts
Numerous letters, recently received, from
subscribers in almost every direction, say
that the plants are now pushing forward very
rapidly: much of the earliest planted being
already from eight to twelve feet high. This
is the case with our own crop. We planted
it at different times, on variety of soil, with
various fertilizers, notes OF which will be
published when the full result is known.
| Hints on Sugar or Syrup Naking.-Some
of our readers will experiment with this plant
on small scale, with reference to its sugar
capacity while few have gone into it some
what largely. For those intending to make
sugar or syrup in quantity, we present an H.
lustration of al upright, three cylinder mill
for crushinr the cane. The working Of the
mill will be readily understood by an exami-
nation of the cut. The feeder deposits the
cane previously stripped of leaves, in series
of troughS or Shelves from which they are
drawn in and crushed twice between the
three rollers the juice falls into a vat under
meath, from which it is carried in buckets, or
through pipe, to the boilers. The price
and capacity of these mills vary with the
| length of the roller. Thus, one with rollers
twelve inches in length, costs Sl00, and will
snffice for grinding the cane on five or six
acres, or less. One of this size, worked by
two horses, will dress about gallon Of juice
per minute. In other sizes, the lengths of
the rollers range from II to 80 inches, and
the prices from 1925 to 1925. Particular
information may be obtained by addressing
| Hedges, Free & Co., Cincinnati. These par
ties manufacture cast iron sugar pans for
| boiling, which hold from 80 to 90 gallons,
and cost from $40 to $50, according to their
size. A single pair Of the smallest pans will
be sufficient for boiling the juice Of five or
six acres. 1t is better, however, to have one
pan, holding say so gallons, for the first boil
ing, and SIN ller one for the final condensa-
ton Of the syrnp. Full directions for set
ting the mills and pans are furnished with
them, and also directions for making syrup or
sugar.
Smaller ErperimemS.-A variety of meth
DDS may be adopted for trying few hills of
the cane. The simplest we have heard of
is, to crush the canes by beating or rolling
on table or board with a common rolling
pin, catching the juice in pan and boiling
| it down in kettle.
| Another-cut up the canes very short in a
straw cutter, and put them into kettle of
water and boil out the sweetness. Ate:
| boiling for time the pieces are put into a
strong bag, the juice pressed out, and the
whole liquid boiled down. Both the above
were tried last year.
Others WILL this year. use the common
sugar crushing mill, one of which may be
found in most stores where sugar is sold.
Where these are used, it will be necessary to
crush the joints first by heavy blows with a
hammer, and then run them through two or
three times, moving the rollers nearer to-
gether each time.
a wooden crusher may be made by turn
ing out two wooden rollers say 8 or 10
inches long, and or s inches in diameter-
These may be placed together in two pieces
of plank, and a 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 planks, and taperlng
wedge driven in over the two ends of the
!. upper roller Driving this in will bring the
rollers down. 1t will be necessary to have
a long crank, made strong, in order to get
power enough to press out any considerable
portion of the juice. 1t will also be neces-
sary to break the JOINTS first with hammer.
| AS a matter of course, none of these simple
contrivances will extract all the juice, bat
they may be adopted where only small
trial is contemplated. Iron rollers, and con-
siderable power is requisite for economical
extraction of the juice in any but limited ex-
periments. Any ingenious mechanic may
get up an extempore contrivance, OF wood or
iron, for crushing in small way.
Boiling the Syrnp.-For an extensive busi-
ness, large cast or sheet-iron pans will be re-
quired. A good sheet-iron pan may be made
| of Russia sheet-iron by almost any stove
| trimmer, or tin worker. A hard wood Frame
with sheet-lron bottom, bent around the
edge, and nailed on watcr-tight makes 4 very
good boiler This must of course be set in
bricli-worl, tC prevent the fire from rising
around the sides and burning the wood For
the smaller experiments alluded to, the juice
may he boiled down in a common BRASS or
even iron kettle. 1t is important to put the
| Juice to boiling as soon as extracted, as it
soon commences sOuring on exposure to air.
In all cases, little milk or lime water fresh
ly made by shaking lime in water should
be added to the juice using about teaspoon
tul OF slaked lime mixed with half pint of
water, to four or five gallons Of the juice.
The first heating should be slow until most
of the scum is removed, when it my be
somewhat rapid, but as the juice thickens, the
| fire must be lessened, to avoid burning
When new portionof liquid is to be added
to that already boiling, it should first be boil
ed, and skinned in separate kettle, and be
adden hot. The liquor should be skinned
as long as any scum rises. 1t will perhaps
be advisable to add half of the lime after the
main scum is removed, and the remainder
when the liquid has become entirely clear.
The degree of concentration requisite can
be judged Of by trial. A little of the syrup
can from time to time be taken out and cool
cd The boiling should be continued until
the syrup becomes quite thick and ropy 1t
is yet mooted point whether the syrup will
crystalize by simply boiling down. Any one
can readily try the effect of condensing lit
lie of the syrup over slow fire until it be-
comes a thick mass, and then set aside to crys-
talize, if it will do So A specimen of thick
syrup, made at Hemstead, L. l.. and sent to
us laSI L all, was leil IN q tln D0X Win the CO.
yer fitting loosely, and after drying during
several months, distinct crystals of sugar COL
lected upon 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 ripen-
ing, which is indicated by thir assuming a
black glossy color. but before they become
hard and fully ripe. If cut at this stage, the
seed can be saved without inuring the yield
of juice. The heads or seed ponic.es may
be taken off with foot or more Of the up
per stalks, as this part contains very little
sweet juice. As soon as the stalks arc cut
strip off all the leaves, which may be saved
for fodder, and crush the canes, and boil the
juice at once.
The seed may be stripped off and cleaned
at leisure. This can be done with a scraper
or hatchel, similarly to broom corn. On
large scale, it can be taken off by running
through common threshing machine, or
with a fail. The seeds are tender, however,
and liable to be injured for planting, by too
rough usage.