The Sauk Centre herald., 1899-09-14
MAKING SORGHUM slRuP.
Lining Essential and How to Do II
Successfully.

NoluiHS mas been found better than
lime for neutralizing the acids contain
ed In sorghum juice 1t is used by all
cane sugar and beet sugar makers and
sugar rehners as a necessary means
for clarifying their liquids The use
OF lime in sorghum juice is in some
respects quite unsatisfactory. The
juice is always acid, sometimes strong
~ ACID. Sirups containing all Of the
acids naturally in sorghum juice, con-
centrated by evaporation, from six to
eight gallons Of juice to one gallon of
sirup, are too acid to suit the great
majority Of sirup users, who are ac-
customed to the mild, neutral sirups
made by ref1ners and mixers. The
acids also hold impurities Of the Juice
IN solution, so that these cannot be
removed. Proof Of this is seen when
sorghum juice Is lined until neutral
that is, neither acid nor alkaline. A
part of the impurities then becomes
solid. BY adding acid to the Juice
these solid impurities redissolve and go
into solution In the Juice again.
But lime not only neutraiizes the
acid. 1t also attacks and degrades
other substances in the juice A large
quantity Of lime Is used In beet tuice
without harm. A large quantity can
be used in sugar cane Juice with less
harm than can be used In sorghum
Juice. When q sample of sorghum
Juice fs lined to excess on cool morn
ing, 1t Is seen that the juice Is not dis
coiored when the temperature is below
80 degrees r. II becomes slowly dis
coaored when the temperature rises
above 90 degrees. 1t Is rapidly discol-
ored above so degrees and is instantly
discolored at the boiling point This
seems to Indicate that 1t is better to
lime the juice when cold. Lime
changes by keeping, losing strength by
absorbing carbonic acid gas from the
air and forming more or less carbonate
Of lime Lime Is but slightly soluble
tn water. Seven hundred pounds OF
water dissolve one OF lime, and Il does
not long remain In suspension In wa
ter, 30 that the phrase milk Of lime"
or Cream Of lime" conveys an tndea-
mite idea Of the amount OF time con-
tafned In the liquid. Common lime Il
also often made from very impure
limestone. ts. "a yf.e;44,;, ,isi .,t.rt; l.
Z As has already been said sorghum
Juice Varies greatly In degree Of acid
~. sometimes requiring much, moas
Hme than az Other ttmeA For these
reasons It b not poss5b8o 10 form q
senersl ruie for timing sorghum A5usce,
except the& AFTER the process thsa juice
'shOuld always slightly rsddsa q tsztpa
os blue ftmus paper witch has sbssa
Immersed II the time Juice Tn&s f11
dicates that ne 3uies h sttn siighk3y
scsd and fhst TOO. much Nine hss not
been used IT u unssttsfAetorJ 10 nss
too little +fimG dime1lt 10 uss tie
proper cquGnt3ty, md ytAsf strap ss IN
tuked wAeh too mach y used wh6ds
too little lime n used, the ciasihcation
- imperfect. the Juice II .summy and
cannot Be Mtered, and The sirup has Q
more % less rank davoe. whan iime.
n rightly used Il larger amount of
impurfty can be removed by skimmtng
and settling, and the sirup has a pleas
anter flavor and keeps better. The
proper lining Of sorghum Juice b. 90
dimcuit, that most sirup mskers
do not practice Il. The few who
do take care to employ too little,
line. This practical diraculty In
properly neutralixfns the acids In
sorghum Juice has long stood in
the way Of progress In sirup manu-
facture. The use Of lime or Of an
equivalent substance appears essenttal
to the production Of an improved quail
fty Of sirup. Until further expert
mental work has been done, sorghum
sirup makers should use lime sparing-
ly-about pint Of milk Of lime (not
cream Of lme) Ike whftewash. In 80
gallons Of juice. The Timed juice, after
thorough mixing, should slightly, red
den a piece Of itmuss paper The fore.
going information is reproduced from
farmers bulletin No. 90, In which A.
A. Denton Of Kansas discusses the en-
tire subject of the manufacture of
sorghum sirup from the planting Of
the seed to the finished product
One Thing and Another.
Professor Bruner Of Nebraska is
quoted by an exchange as warning
western farmers against an invasion Of
ora sshonDers Professor Rruner is an