The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-07-18
VINDEX.
MODERN MACHINERY FOR SUGAR

To the Editor OF tbs Democrat:
| In your paper OF the twenty-seventh Of
June have read an article entitled as above,
on which desire to make some remarks, for
which I rely on your known liberality in in
viting discussion.
| will premise by disclaiming any idea OF
finding fault with the splendid machinery
that you describe and the sterling works exc
cuted at Leeds's foundry. I think that the
modern improvements in machinery for sugar
and sugar apparAtuses are calculated to pro-
mote the central or factory system to the
mutual benefit Of the cnltivator and the manu-
facturer. It relieves the cultivator of the cost
Of machinery and the trouble, care and atten-
ton that 1t requires; it simplifies labor, and
that alone Is great Improvement where such
labor has to be used as Is found in the LOUISE
ana sugar region. am not so sure, however,
that the old works, such as they are, cannot
be used to advantage with the old process !;
and do not quite agree with the writer OF
the article that the new process with vacuum
pans, etc, is as profitable as represented, as
compared with the common mills. It is said
that the use of the inferior mills re-
suits in the loss Of 80 per cent. Ny
experience il the matter leads me to
should make from go to G5 per cent OF juice
from the 100 pounds of cane. It is claimed
that the new machinery will produce 70 per
cent, making difference Of from 8 to 10 per
loss from the old mills. But, taking the high
est difference, there remains the question II it
be really a loss to that extent when some pc
culiarties OF cane juice are considered. It has
been found that when grinding frozen cane it
becomes sour and the juice unfit to make
sugar; If the mill Is made less tight the juice
that comes Is yet good. This would 60 to
show that there are In the cane some sub
stances or extractive matter which are unfa-
vorable to the production Of sugar, and /
If hiUhIv that vfTan
sure would have the effect of bringing out
such substances as abumen and gum, which
otherwise would remain in the bagasse. In
this connection I will make allusion to
statement made by many persons that, mas
much as sugar In the cane is in crystalized
state, the juice remaining in the
tbagasse is richer IN sugar than that which
has been expressed. This crystalization In the
cane must be Of very unstable nature
as 1t yields with SO much facility to
pressure and the mixture with sap and
moisture, as Immediately to take the liquid
form in the expressed juice. am not aware
that any reliable experiment has been made
20 determine how much and ii any more
sugar IS contained in the juice remaining In
the bagasse,, and what extraneous matters
may remain ia it.
The capacity OF the mill described is very
great comparatively to that existing, and
considered to be large. To supply such
mill to keep 1t in activity during the grinding
season, which may be supposed to be about
forty days, would require territory Of three
square miles planted in cane, besides another
extent Of ground for the purposes of rotation
and amelioratiOn OF the soil, which would
make together about five or six square miles.
This would increase the distances for hauling
ure impracticable; and this circumstance
should be taken into consideration In the cen
trail or factory system.
would be ready to admit that the improved