The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-06-02
THE SUGAR PRODUCT.

THE SUGAR PRODUCT.
The Department of Agriculture has issued
bulletin detailing the results of experiments
in the diffusion method of extracting sugar from
cane The sugar industry is a gigantic interest
throughout the civilized world. The average
annual consumption in the United States is
over forty pounds to each inhabitant. We use
annually one and quarter million tons, i'm
porting seven-eighths of it at the rate of a full
ship-load daily. The importations amount to
over $SS, 000 900 in value, paying $4S 900, 900
short of what we pay for cane sugar to Cuba,
Brazil and the Pacific islands The annual
yield of cane sugar for the world is placed at
$500, 900 tons Any improvement on the
old methods of production is therefore of the
greatest moment. By the old process of mill
ing only half the juice was separated from the
pulp by improved mills and double milling
five-eighths to three-fourths of the juice is
saved. Last year Prof. Wiley, the govern
ment chemist, made for Commissioner Loring
full line of experiments on the application
of the diffusion process by which sugar is ex
tracted from the beet in France and Germany
to sorghum and tropical canes. This process
consists of cutting the cane into thin
chips and then exposing them to the
action of warm water in series OF
connected closed vertical cylinders. The SUI
gar which is in solution in the cells passes out
through the cell walls by asmosis, and by sew
eral successive additions of water the extrac-
ton of 85 to 80 per cent of the sugar is
cured-a saving of 30 to 40 per cent. over the
system of pressure extraction by rollers This
method was tried i'll Louisiana in 1874 but
abandoned because of the great amount OF
juice produced of so low specific gravity as to
make the cost of evaporatng it greater than
by the old method. This, Prof. Wiley is san
guine, can be obviated, and the sugar all ex-
tracted by weight of water equal to that of
the cane used, thus getting a juice of the
same density as the mill juice, but exceed
ing it 80 to 40 per cent in quantity. Prof.
Wiley secures juice by diffusion of greater
purity than the mill juice, and which is, there
fore, made into pure white sugar at less
cost of bleaching and purifying. The method
is attracting attention throughout all sugar
making countries. Perfected by Roberts, in
1864, in Monrovia, and applied successfully to
the beet-sugar industry, it was soon applied to
tropical canes, by Minchin in the East In
| ton of 1867, it has slowly worked into favora-
BILE consideration, and, Prof, Wiley says in
his report, which sets forth the whole subject
succinctly and scientifically, the diffusion pro-
cess offers the most promising outlook for sue
cess.
1t isof especial interest, in the present condi
ton of the sorghum sugar industry in the great
area of the central Mississippi valley
This industry needs protection from the over
zeal of its friends on the one hand and the
opposition of its enemies on the other 1t is
to be hoped that the Commissioner of Agricul-
ture and his chemical assistant who has used
his great skill as a chemist so untiringly in
the development of the sorghum sugar indus
try, both as the State chemist of Indiana and
as chemist to the department, may secure the
hearty co operation of all interested in the
full development of this new source of agri-
cultural wealth-the manufacture of cane
sugar from sorghum. and the application of a
process to the canes of Louisiana which will
do away with the loss of nearly one half of the
available sugar. Certainly, in this regard the
lberality of Congress should be as large as the
necessity for completing this line of investiga
ton. By this process we double the amount
Of sugar to the acre; the cane will give up its
sugar irrespective Of age frost, or filth, and
in condition requiring less publication.
The Sandwich Islands, already power in CON
trolling the sugar market, are about importing
diffusion apparatus from Europe for the estab
lishment of an experimental department on
their cane With the improved methods
applied to both sorghum and the Southern
cane there is no reason why the United States
should not make every pound of sugar CON
sumed within its borders, and stand independ
ent of foreign competition in the supply of
this important food product.
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CHICAGO is evidentlv under the i,nnression