The Robesonian., 1918-07-29
rou1pMENT FOR THE MANU-
vscTuRE OF SORGHUM sIRUP

Dr. M W. Hensel, Agent IN sugar
Plant Cooperative Work Between
tbe North Carolina Extension Ser
v;ce and the United States Depart
roent of Agriculture.
7 nthe manufacture Of sorghum
s;rup proper equipment must be used
snI nS tbe greatest care and cleanliness
ane aanorc;sed in the use of the equipment.
If This is not done, one or more OF
40 followirg defects will he found in
.hs .m nroduct: 1t will be either green
b ;.b rud-colored or tarry black IN
,sI, 0olor. il will be raw, acid, bitter or
sO0rcbed in taste: suspended matter
M;T he floating in it; it will either
Saoome stringy or will ferment, or
Sotb in a short time, rendering 1t un-
lit for use. ao o,d
stored where the temperature remains
somewhat even, will keep Tor many
Years without deterloratlng IN quail
'SIt ;s true that the condition of the
zane when it is cut and made up mas
much ~ to do with the quality of the
% simp. but supposing this to be right:
then equipment and faulty methods OF
manufacture must be the cause Oh a
defective product.
The mill and the evaporation are the
nr;ncinal pieces of apparatus required
for the manufacture of sorghum slrup.
three-roller mill, either horse
newer or other power, properly set
m. with rolls adjusted the righ dis
tance anart. and evenly fed, should
extract at least SO percent OF the
weight Of the cane as juice. A Two
roller mill will not extract much more
than half this amount and therefore
Is wasteful and should not be used.
From the mill the juice should pass
through a filter, or strained, into q
settling or storage tank. The strain
ing and settling are very important II
order to remove as much lmpurlty 4;
possible before the juice reaches INT
evaporator.
4 good cheap strainer may be made
as follows: Make wooden box !foii
four to six feet long and sixteen lncn
es wide and sixteen inches deep. Bor
hole in one end near the top. Fll
the box with clean straw tightly PACK
ed. Allow the juice from the mi
to enter the box at one end and t
pass out the top aole in the other enc
Many impurities are deposited an
held by the straw as the juice percf
lates through it. The juice comes OF
pure and consequently requires les
skmming and makes a better slrul
The box must be cleaned with Wats
twice a day. The straw should |!
taken out and run through the nl
to press out the Juice and new stra
put in the box.
The patent evaporating pans a
generally superior to the home-ma'
kind The bottoms are usually corr
gated to give larger heating sufIa
and thus quicker evaporation. In
are arranged for shallow boiling a
quick concentration with much le
danger of scorching. Most OF the
are fitted to their own fire arch
furnace, while others are made
that they may be placed on brlcE
other arch. Some have a selt-skl
ming arrangement which saves M
labor. Steam evaporators are pref
able where the sirup is manufactu1
on a large scale, as the danger,
scorching or burning the liquid
much less, but it is doubtful if t
type would pay for the small make
All articles used in sirup max
should be kept scrupulously clean
70 prevent souring should be clean
with scalding water at least once
Gay.
A complete outfit for making 81
with a capacity of 25 to 35 gall
per day, can be purchased now II
5000 to Sl1500, according to
quality Larger outfits will cost
proportion but one with capacit!
from 60 to 100 gallons per day
cost from $4,000 to $215.00.
purchasers should always beal
nlInd a that with sirup plants, as
Gther things. the best is the chea
III tne end; also that plant Of Ii
CapacltV will Use but little more