The Washington times., 1894-08-02


be In evidence at the ballot boxes in the fall
As TO THR REGDEMENT OF REFINED FROM A
GIVEN QUANTITY OF RAws.
There is perhaps no other point which has
been purpasely so obscured as this-mainly
in two ways: (a) By Misrepresentation OF the
actual character of the raw sugars involved.
and (b) by the suppression OF all reference TO
products other than standard granulated-
that is, "off' sugars, seconds syrups, etc.
(a). A Sc degree or other degree grade of
raw sugar does not indicate that the total
amount of valuable material is only the per
cent of the whole indicated by the numeral.
In the case of cane sugars it means that the
crystallizable sugar-sucrose-is a certain per
cent. represented by the degree number) Of
the total bulk-the remaining portion consist
ing largely of non-crystallizable sugars,
which, however, are valuable-the percent
age OF actual waste in the great bulk of raw
sugars being very small-from per cent
down to y per cent. of their bulk. In the
case of beet sugars there is still another COM
plication-the commercial degree number not
indicating the full sucrose strength, but a
trade basis arrived at by certain discounts,
etc.-sS degree beet sugar generally contain
ing 80, "a. or even a greater percentage of
sucrose, which, however, it is assumed there
is more or less difficulty in separating.
(b). AS to rendement, the question is not of
possibilities in any one direction, but OF COM
parative profit-no two experts agreeing, on e
insisting, for example, that his best results
are obtaiaed by SO refining Sc degrees or
higher grade cane sugars as to produce from
each 100 pounds thereof "a pounds, or more
Of standard granulated sugars, with a mini
mum amount of seconds and but little
syrup, and that so lean as to necessitate its
being fortified with glucose to make it
usable. Another, while still using high grade
sugars alone, may consider it more profitable
to make not more than 90 or 92 pounds of
granulated from 100 pounds Of raw, turning
out larger additional amount OF off-grade
sugars and perhaps richer syrups than his
neighbor, while still third may believe in
mixing different grades of sugar, and in max
ing still less portion of granulated and a
greater proportion of of sugars and syrups-
the question, as already noted, being not one
OF possibilities, but Of commercial profit, and
this being dependent upon the comparative
cheapness of the processes used, which in
turn depends greatly upon the mechanical
facilities enjoyed and the chemical expert
ence availed Of. In the great United States
refneries, "a per cent. of standard granulated
is about the maximum profitable product of
granulated from 100 pounds of 96 degrees
raw, OF which, however, there would still
remain pounds of comparatively
lean syrups or somewhat less
quantity of syrups and small amount of
SECONDS" sugar, the worth OF these 5
pounds of by-products being about that
Of between % and pounds of
grsnulated sugar. If as matter of fact
less amount of granulated is produced, this is
because, in the refiners' judgment, by leaving
little more of the sucrose with the by-prod-
ucts these can be made enough more valuable
to justify doing so. The result, confirmed by
independent inquiry in numerous sources, is
that in the handling Of high grade raw
sugars COG degrees and above) the rendement
is equivalent in value to granulated sugar to
the amount of, say 81 per cent. of their total
bulk, somewhat greater than their actual
rating in sucrose; while with lower grade raw
sugars, on account of the richness of the nom
crystallizable portion, the rendement in gran
ulated and other products is of still greater
value in proportion to the degree strength
though it is generally assumed that their
handling involves somewhat greater cost, so
that except in very large refineries low grade
sugars are not specially more profitable to
work up than are those of higher grade.
The net result of all this is that specific
duty graded strictly according to polariscopic
test would give the refiners a real advantage
but 30 infinitesimal one that it could not
be urged as an objection to that method of
assessment, it being more nearly ideal than
any osher possible.
Ate bet spgsy, the great aim Of rsaesrs