The Worthington advance., 1879-11-06
SUGAR.CANE IN TIE NORTHWEST.
The Progress BEING Made In the Development
Of This New Industry.

The Progress BEING Made In the Development
Of This New Industry.
The Chicago Tribune publishes a
lengthy letter from st. Paul, giving
very elaborate review of the rise and pro.
gress of the amber sugar-canc product in
the Northwest. We make the following
extracts:
The canc-growers Of Rice county, Min
nesota, had built up quite large local
trade in syrup at their county seat, Fari-
bault, when DR.. James Wilhelm, Of Ohio,
was invited here on the strength of rep
rcssntations that he had made specia;
study Of sugar chemistry, had invented
apparatus and devised processes for su-
gar-m aking, and of late years had been
very successful in handling sorghum
juices. The result Of his visit to Mime
sofa was the formation CT stock company
at Faribault for establishing.
AN AMBER.cANE REFINERY,
combining field work with riining prop
er. The establishment was located In a.
leased building containing IN engine,
which WAS leased for running the cane
mill. The cost Of fitting it up was about
$4,000. The mill, a large one, when in
operation pours a threc-inch stream of
juice into the receiving watts. From
these the juice is pumped into three de-
facating tanks. each having capacity of
twenty-five barrels, anG heated by steam
coils. From the defeating tanks the IL
quid, now at boiling heat, but changed
from its original greenish-white color to
nearly the limpidness Of water, Is dis
charged into the coagu:ating battery,
twenty by seven feet, capable Of reducing
five to six barrels an hour to 4 density Of
50 to "a degrees Baume. In the coagula-
ting battery the liquid passes over a
steam coil, beginning at the middle Of
one end and running lcngthwise, back
and forth, covering the bottom. As the
liquid bolls, Its surface is thrown forward
upon an elevation, from which it flows
back in sloping channels at the sides,
whcr;. whatever impurities may appear
are SKINNED out. From the coagulating
battery the liquid, now q scmi-syrup.
passes INTO the clarifying pans, which dis.
charges 1t into tank below, when it is
lifted as wanted into the vacuum pan,
where it is finished at heat Of 13O to
$50 degrees F. Toe arrangement is lab
or-savipg throughout, tie ol lcra!io@s Icing
automatic as far as possible. This estab-
llshmcnt, as l will cndcavor to show here.
after, solves the Northern cane problem,
ut least SO far rs proving that tile cult.
vation Of amber cane and manufacture OF
its products may be made in large and
profitable industries.
The work of placing and fitting the ap.
paratus and machinery was not complet
ed in time to 1cgin operations with fresh
ly-cut cane. The farmers delivered their
cane early in piles not calculated to pre-
serve it in best condition. Some had been
cut a month or more before it was ground,
and all was more or less fermented.
Nevertheless, good results were obtained.
l sampled the refinery syrup on hot cakes
III the curly morning, while there was yet
a suggestion of frost in the air cf the
breakfast room, and it bore the test ad-
mirably. The flavor was delicate, and
the after-tastc purely saccharine. So far
as that experience goes, I can confirm
what DIR. Wilhelm says as to the quality
Of his syrnp, and will let him speak for
himself: He says: 'The process is
mine. We claim to take out the vegc-
table gummy matter; that our goods are
pure in taste or flavor: md that we make
the finest syrup in America, chemically
pure. containing not less than GO TO 10
per cent. of sugar cane." Sugar experts
and groccrs will understand what this
claim means. It means that the refined
molasscs Of amber cane Is true sylup,
with u sugar body,-an article which for
many years has rarely been seen in the
trade.
WILL 1T PAY THE CANE oROwERs2
I think SO. The highest estimate of
the price Of producing the cane, includ-
ing eight miles Of hauling, and every de-
tail, from the purchase Of the seed and
preparation Of the ground to the unload
ing of the cut, topped and stripped cane
is $3.50 per acre. Many cultivators es-
innate the cost much lower. The cost of
seed need not exceed 50 cents an acre.
The cultivation is about the same as for
corn, except that the ground should be
freshly prepared at planting time, and ex-
traord,nary care is needed to protect the
plant from weeds when it first appears
and until it is thirty inches high-until
which time it i; a slow grower. After
that, it will take care of itself, and grows
very rapidly. To save hard labor,
the cane should be planted
in check.rows: and, at the proper time for
thinning. not more than five stocks should
be left IN each hill. The best soil for the
cane is a sandy loan. Heavy, rank or
cold soil, or fresh manure, will lessen the
saccharlne development. The cane hy-
bridlzes readily with millet, broom corn,
and all the members of the tribe of sweet
'uiced grasses; and this should he guard
cd against in choosing seed and locating
plantations. Order your machinary 50
Us to have no delay in working the cane
as soon as it is ready to he cut. Using
horse power and fire for heating the mill,
furnace, pans. etc., for properly handling
five acres Of cane can be bought for 800.
For 800 an outfit can bc secured which
will answer for working two or three
acres of cane.
The yield IN Minnesota, according to
soil and cultivation, has ranged from sew
en- to fourteen tons of stripped and topped
stalks per ucrc. At the Faribault refinery,
this fall. $3 per ton was paid for the me,
delivered. The yield Of simple syrup,
nine to ten pounds per gallon, is sixteen
to twenty gallons per ton. The cost OF
grinding and boiling need not exceed
seven cents a gallon. Such syrup will be
worth to the re6ner 80 to IS cents a gal.
Ion. The cane will average per ton in
refined syrup fifteen gallons; weighing