The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1911-09-05
CAN MAKE SUGAR
FROM PALM TREE
Experiments in The Philippines
Show Possibilities Of a
New Industry.

ct have heard about making
sugar from palm tree sap, but peison.
ally know nothing about IL, /" said Q.
r. Ecknrt OF The Hawaiian Sugar
Planters' Experiment station, last
evening.
The investigations Of the scientists
In tho Philippines, as published in the
Manila Times Of recent date, were told
Mr.. Eclsart, and he said that theae ~
periments had also been carried on ii,
other parts Of the world, he under
stood.
''My work is altogether with susaf
cane, p said Mr.. Eckart. ''and while
/ know of the making of sugarefrOm
the sap of cocoanut and other palm
trees have never studied the matter,
and could not toll anything about it,
cit may be feasible to manufacture
sugar from this source, but 1 would
not want 10 express any opinion what
soever,v he concluded. as
Doctor Gibbs of the bureau of sci
enee in Manila, the same institution
where Moses T. Clegg, now Of FTa-
wall, succeeded in growing the bacillus
of leprosy, has made thorough investi-
CATIONS in this sugar line, and gives
his conclusions to the public through
the Manila press.
The nipa palm, of which ne speaks
as furnishing the basis Of his expert
ments, is small palm which grows
near the salt water and which has been
fused in the past for the production of
alcohol almost exclusively. In this re-
gard the Manila Times says:
Palm Tree Sap Sugar.
"That there is a possible, not to say
a probable chance, that the business
of making sugar in the Philippine
islands may be entirely revolutionized,
is the opinion of DIR. H. d. Gibbs, bu-
reau of science, who has gone into the
question in the most complete manner,
and who has demonstrated absolutely
that better sugar can be produced from
the sap of nipa trees than has ever
gone out of these islands up to date.
HSampIes which he ,has treated in
his laboratory show very plainly that
the clear white product, polarized at
96.S per cent, a gain of 8 per cent
over the highest exported, which he has
succeeded in producing, is far above
the customary commercial product.
'But laboratory tests and expert.
ments do not always tend to evolve
the same conditions when used in a
commercial sense on q large scale, a
fact which Doctor Gibbs is fully eogni.
zant of, wherefore he does not risk his
reputation by saying that the thing
can be done-it merely may be done.
4 "a oHU nfoo nf kha NJ 4
uct over those of cane appear briefly
in the practically inexhaustible supply
of nipa trees located all over the archi-
Ipelago, countless acres of which are in
direct or comparatively easy access to
man by reason of being either on
banks of streams or contiguous there.
to. And much of this land could be
acquired for virtually nothing, since at
present it lies idle.
Saving of Expense.
"Another feature is that, since the
sugar would be produced from sap, the
crushers in the ordinary sugar mills,
which form one of the heaviest items
i Of exine enc in Inc mechanical line,
would be unnecessary. Another con-
siderable item is that once planted, the
nipa takes care of itself, that it re-
quires- no cultivation, and that its
product may go on for a century.
Trees which have been producing for
half that time, fifty years, are already
on record among unimpeachable au.
thorities. All That is required in the
beginning is to clear out the superflu-
GUS. foliage in order to give the trees
fair chance to take their natural
course.
"On the other hand bagasse, the resi-
due of the cane, when its sugar hal
been extracted. forms fuel for the mills
something which the nipa trees, Of
course, would not do, since they are lef
standing. And, under some circum
stances, this item might make all th,
difference in the world with mills il
certain localities. This question mus
therefore be settled before any one cal
pronounce definitely as to the unques
tionable success of the new idea.
"The method Of extracting the sal
is very simple, consisting of the nativl
punetnring each tree, and drawing Of
the liquid in bamboo measures, day b,
day, this operation lasting for abou
an average of seventy days annual,
with each tree. OF course, the process
of extraction can be carried on practi
trees may be used in the same tract
thus keeping up the business, all yea
round.
1.-THE figure from the yield of on
hertart, by sO1es Of measurement
slhw that fr9m 1000 trees 100000
liltrs of sap nlay be drawn, which wi
produce 10 ,42s kiics of 90 polarization
cOcOanut Trees, Too.