The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1884-10-01

The Nee Orleans Times Democrats gives some
interesting information relative this process
from which we take a few extracts. Mr. Minchin
gives some statistics which will be Of use to
those of our planters who are now giving atten-
ton TO the new process.
II is pointed out that in using diffusion or any
other method of extraction it is rule which can
not be violated with impunity that at least evapOr
alton sufficient to bring the juice to certain point
of concentration must be provided. Upon this
depends not only the quantity, but the quality of
the work.
In the diffusion process number of tanks are
always connected with each other through valves
and pipes, so that pressure put upon one acts
through all simultaneously. In reality diffusion
is nothing but stream Of water, beginning at n
certain elevation and ending at a lower point,
and this stream, in its passage through the tanks
filled with sliced cane, absorbs very nearly all the
sugar contained in the cane cells, leaving behind
III them mere traces of sugar, but large proper
ton Of the impurities also contained in the cells.
This Is entirely different from the extraction by
the mills which have to burst all the cells to let
the juice and impurities out.
Time had shown that heat greatly accelerated
the extraction, and 1t also protected the Juice
against fermentation, means were devised to keep
the JUICE, it flowed from tank to tank constant
ly at higher temperature. As the sugar cane
may be kept at a much higher temperature, and
as its cells are prOpOrtionately larger than the
cells of the beet II stands to reason that the sugar
cane is in reality better adapted by nature TO the
diffusion process than the beet. As the greater
heat ooagulates most of the albumen in the cells,
and as some other impurities are less diffusable
than sugar, it is not difficult to understand why
diffusion juice should be purer than mill juice;
and this, indeed has been SO fully proven by ex-
perenco and practice that nobody thinks seriously
Of dispuling the fact.
An exact analysis of Mr. Minchin's cane is
given. which for this purpose, had been divided
into three nearly equal parts, consisting of the
butts, the middle and top pieces. For the sake of
breyity shall give only the averages of the entire
which were as follows:
Bigassc Soluble
fbrc Water solids
Average in TOPS. TGj 79g 1906
Average in middlings
and ruots. So 1871 1856
Average In the whole -
The bagasse consisted of: Fibre and ccllulose,
sos inorganic-siiI, lime, o.; total, So.
The bagasse Just after diffusion was composed
of: Mineral matter, 03j; fibre and cellulOse,
ILL; bagasse proper, 1l.5O; sugar, O4ll glucose,
0.066; water, S1.1uO.
As the cane itself had contained only So baEasse
proper in 100 pounds, it will be seen than the
above 100 pounds Of diffusion bagasse was in re-
ality derived from ll.5 multiplied by 100 divided
by 50 equals 40 pounds of cane, which, If press
ed ont by mill of the ordinary capacity go per
cent? would have furnished 81 pounds of bagasse.
After drying. ready to be used as fuel, the bag
Hsse contains from . to IL per cent of water; the
following analysis shows percentages of com
bustible matter IN this substance: Mineral matter,
2.3i; fibre and ceulOse MA; sugar, 2Sj; glucose,
O.56; gums, albumen, l.696: water, l5,OOO; total
oombustible matter. S2.2lt.
As far We know, Minchin uses nothing but
this dried bagasse for fuel, and as the chips are
generally longer and have more body than the
bagasse from a very powerful MILL they would
seem to be more suitable for fuel than such heavi
ly crushed mill bsgasse.
In that season about seventeen twentieths Of the
sugar Of the cane were obtained, when no bone
black sas used, and about three fourths of it with
chr.
During another season they obtained about Sc
per cent in first sugar, - IN second, and - in
molasses; but in 1881, when. probably, they had
learned TO work to greater advantage, or because
they were compelled TO work faster, the following
results were obtained from cane of the following
average description: Bagasse OF fibre. so; water
80; sugar, Of which Il per cent, was glucose and
Q per cent, ash, l5.0-tOtal 100 pounds. In this
season about 900 tons (of 22i0lbs.) of cane were
cut up and diffused, and from it 5000 bags of
white sugar were made. Each bag contained 96i
lbs, thus bringing the yield TO IS per cent, of
pure white sugar. The weight of masse-cuite
obtained was 1916 tons, equal to l2i8 per cent of
the weight of cane. II the molasses coming from
the first products, usually sent to the distillery,
had been worked into sugar also, the total yield
should have reached between 9 and 10 per cent.