The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1865-10-21
PACIFIC
Commercial Advertiser.
Translated hrn tie Frvach n the Port Louis CIagritius} Com
uerc5al Gazette
Investigations in Regard TO
Cane Juice,
And the Notifications IL undergoes dur
ing the Process of Extraction
at Manri;ius.
BY Dr. f. Icery-
Part Second.
Part Second.
H.-OF THE PRIMITIVE SLATE OF SUGAR
IN CANE

liable sugar only. In announcing an opinion
- opposed - the ideas which, in this respect
prelOminete still among men Of science, we will
declare outright that we do not intend 10 cen.
sure the conclusions arrived at By previous
chemists who have. given this plant a detailed
analysis The error they have committed in
admitting into Tlpe cane.iuice the pFe-existence
Of a notable quantity Of liquid sugar OF molas-
ses already formed, could result only from I'M
precise experiments moreover, il was a long
time before justice was done this theory. We
DO not believe-and in that our researches agree
perfectly with those reported by the latest au-
ti.Jrs-there exists in healthy cane, having at
tanned the term Of its development. a sufficiently
appreciable proportion of uncrystallizable sugar
10 make IT necessary to preoccupy ourself much
about 1t, but we have come to a conclusion en-
tlreiy contrary % that now professed, when it is
. question of result furnished By all parts Of the
cane, when II is a question of that which has
undergone a prolonged action Of solar rays, or
the periods when examined and the primitive
state IN which the sugar is found at different
periods of its vegetation.
10 make the details of that We are about to
enter upon better understood, it is Indispensable
that We recall in few words the characters proper
10 the substances which are indistinctly desig-
mated under the name Of sugar. The first group
Of these bodies, the only ones which interest Us
10 know, and of which there can be O question
here, IS formed by those which offer the remark
able property Of being changed uzder the direct
lnhaence Of yeast (leUure Dc here Then beer
80 SJL1e Use In ;L-cOHOl and IN carDOnIc acid.
sugar, properly Speaking, or cane sugar,
tC4- HA4 on Is distinguished from all others
Gy tne property 1t possesses Of crystallizing in
large rhomboidal prisms. and the facility with
which II Is possible to obtain it from its watery
solution Ii has been found, up 70 the present
time, only IN the vegetable kingdom, and IL is
only under the influence of vegetation that 10
takes its origin.
Glucose, or sugar of raisin, (C12 Hli O14.) is
found IN both the vegetable and animal king
tynS besides. II can he formed INV Sayaral
chemical processes. 1t is precipitated in small
mamiiiated crystals from Its aqueous solution
when the latter is slowly concentrated or
abandoned to itself for a long time. Less
soluble In water than cane sugar, it has 4
sugary Sayor nearly three times lees powerful
than II. Treated 10 "a solution of warm potash
or soda, tue glucose oxidizes and communicates
70 the liquor a deep brown color. Boiled with
cupro-potassie tartrate, 1t reduces the metallic
oxide and gives place to an abundant red precip-
ltate. Ihese two reactions disclose traces Of
glucose mixed with cane sugar. The different
examinations OF sugar, fecula, chifonS, honey
and diabetis are applied to glucose, of which
they Indicate their diverse origins.
Uncrystallizable sugar, called also interuerG
sugar, sugar from acid fruits, I~eUulose, &C.,
lBeer-sugar. again,1 (CI2 Hi2 O12.) exists in a
very great number of fruits, and is found ready
made IN the stems of some plants. 1t can be
produced directly by the action of acids upon
Sugar-cane. Same as glucose, IL browns under
the influence of alkalis and reduces with energy
the tartrate of cuicTe pOtQsSiqu>. This unerys-
taliizabie sugar is modified at the end of a Ger
tain time and changed partly into glucose,
which appears then under the form of small
crystalline grains Ii has also been considered
sometimes as u composition Of glucose and sugar
liquid But, regarding only certain physical
characters Ut this last species of sugar, il is in
contestable that II does not always appear iden-
teal IN It's vegetable organization, and that it
shows itself differently under some molecular
states 1t not with a variable composition natural
TO IL.
There are some substances which present with
those we have enumerated q great analogy of
properties and composition. These are lactine,
or sugar Of milk, treAcl0se. meifoSe and mSTzi-
foSe but IL Will suffice TO cite those bodies which,
on account OF their very special origin, remain
strangers to the matters with which these re-
searches are concerned.
The action which different solutions OF suoa-
which We have passed in review exert upon po-
lIrized light, furnish valuable results that serve
II distinguish between some 9f these substances,
anu 1t the same time it furnishes the most sure
aud precise means To determine the relative
quantities of these in a liquor which, containing
10 other bodies, may react equally upon polar
lZed light The notifications given to polarized
liSnt ~ different sugars Is more or less marked,
and Is not always exerted in tie same manner.
Cdne-sugar, crystailized glucose. lactine, treha-
lose, melitose and meiizitOse turn to the right
plane OF polarization OF the light. and are. on
that account, called dextrines (derfroqvres.O
all these substances, that which possesses the
rotary power is the trehalo.e after that
come melitOse, melizitose, cane-sugar, lactine
glucose.
In an opposite sense, much acid modifes the
rotary power OF cane-sugar and turns then the
polarization to the left Glucose does not un-
ierso change, in this respect, under the influence
acids Like interyerted clne-sugar, sugar
lquId from acid fruits turns to the left the plane
pOlarIzatIon, therefore they are both lerOQuves
iheertnes.)
These results, so important, furnished by op-
ilcal analysis, must powerfully contribute to
'.Uc!daIe certain questions attaching TO the {
and formation of the different species of
sugar Of vegetable organization which we have ;
Enumerated. The optical SachaTiHetrie EMPLOYED, =
with ordinary chemical means. ::
ave III TACT, conduced 70 very valuable results :
in regard 20 sugar. '
In all the researches l have undertaken with I
'ane-sugar, with the aim to determine the ma '
and quantity of saccharine matter it con- !
ANS L have bad a Constant recourse TO the ST. :
nn4taneous employment of optical ANALYSIS and =
III the divers other means at the disposal OF !
The concordance of indications fur =
lished by these two methods in certain cases. .
lnd their dIscordance on other occasions. have I
me to conclusions which have appeared -
o me worthy of interest, as much in n scientific :
ONT OF view rs in the ordinary practical ones /
n our colonial sugar-factOries. .
\ shall not enter here into the details of mn p"
lerous experiments i have made upon the sub :
set- a great number Of these experiments are :
ported IN the previous table, and the accom- -
anyIng explanations will suffice TO render them >
erlectly inteiiigible. / shall content myself 10 '
she results obtained, of which apy "
ne can verify the truth. u
ist- hen cane, to whatever species il nav "