Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1858-07-07
CHINESE SUGAR CANE.

The Agricultural Report of the U. S. Patent
Office for 1857, gives the following DR.. Jack
sons process of making Syrup and Sugar from
the Chinese cane -
In the first place, it is necessary to filter the
juice of the plant, as it comes from the mill,
in order to remove the cellulose and fibrous
matters and the starch, all of which are pres.
ent in it when expressed. A bag filter, or one
made of blanket placed in a basket, will an
swer this purpose. Next, We have to add a
sufficiency Of milk of lime (that is lime slack
ed and mixed with water) to the juice, to rem
der it slightly alkaline, as shown by its chan
ging turmeric paper to a brown color, or red
dened litmus paper to a blue. A small excess
of lime is not injurious. After this addition,
the juice should be boiled, say for fifteen min
utes. thick green scum rapidly collects
on the surface, which is to be removed by
skinner, and then the liquid should again be
filtered. 1t will now be of pale straw color,
and ready for evaporation, and may be boiled
down quite rapidly to about half its original
bulk, after which the fire must be kept low, the
evaporation to be carried on with great eau
tion, and the syrup constantly stirred to pre-
vent it from burning at the bottom Of the ket-
tie or eyaporating pan. Portions OF the syrup
are to be taken out, from time to time, and al
lowed to cool, to see if it is dense enough to
crystalize. 1t should be about as dense as
sugarhouse molasses or tar. When it has
reached this condition, it may be withdrawn
from the evaporating vessel, and be placed in
tubs or casks to granulate. Crystals of sugar
will begin to form generally in three or four
days, and sometimes nearly the whole mass
will granulate, leaving but little molasses to
be drained. After it has solidified, it may be
scooped out into conical bags, made of coarse
open cloth, or of canvass, which are to be hung
over some vessel to receive the molasses; and
the drainage being much aided by warmth, il
will be useful to keep the temperature of the
room at so or 80 deg. F. After some days, it
may be removed from the bags, and will be
found to be good brown sugar. 1t may now
be refined by dissolving it in hot water, add
ing to the solution some white of eggs (say
one egg for 100 pounds of sugar. mixed with
cold water, after which the temperature is to
be raised to boiling, and the syrup allowed 10
remain at that heat for half an hour. Then
skim and filter to remove the coagulated albu-
men, and the impurities it has extracted from
the sugar.
BY means of bone-black, such as is pre-
pared for sugar-refners, the sugar may be de-
cclored, by adding an ounce to each gallon of
the sacchari1e solution, and boiling the whole
together. Then filter, and you will obtain a
nearly colorless syrup. Evaporate this, as be-
fore directed, briskly, to half its bulk, and
then slowly until dense enough to crystalize,
leaving the syrup, as before, in tnbs, or pans,
to granulate. This sugar will be of light
I brown culor, and may now be clayed, or viii
tened, by the usuel method; that is, by put
ting it into cones, ard pouring saturated So
luton of white sugar upon it, SO as to displace
the molasses, which will drop from the apex
of the cone when inverted. 1t is now refined
or loaf sugar.
The methods here described are the CON-
mon and cheap ones, such as any farmer can
employ. 1t may be advantageous, when oper-
ations of considerable extent are contempla-
ted, to arrange regular system of shallow
syrup, similar to those now used in Vermont
for making maple sugar.
1t is evident that no ordinary methods can
compete with those of a regular sugar refinery,
where vacuum pans are employed, and evapo-
ration is consequently carried on at low
temperature. If the planter should raise suf-
ficiently large crops to warrant the expense OF
such an apparatus on his place, he would not
fail to manufacture large quantities of sugar.
and to operate with perfect success, but this
can be done only in the Southern, Middle or
Western States, where extensive farming Is
common. Those who wish to have their brown
sugar clarified, can send it to some of the lar
ger refineries, where the operations may be
completed, and the sugar put in the usual forul
of white loaves,
A very large proportion of our agricultural
people will doubtless be satisfied with the pro-
duction of good syrup from this plant. They
may obtain it by following the methods de-
scribed in the first part OF this paper, or they
may omit the lime, and make an agreeable.
but slightly acidulous syrup, which will be OF
3 tighter color than that which has been lined
This syrup is not apt to crystalse, owing to
the presence of acid matter. The unripe cane
can be employed for making molasses and al
cohol, but will not yield true cane sugar un-
less it is well-matured.
THE EXCAVATIONS IN ROME