Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-12-11
FARM EDUCATION
BY DIR. ANDREW M. SOULE

! PAPER will turn red and the piece OF
red litmus paper will remain I'M
changed. If the solution is alkaline,
| the blue litmus paper remains 'un-
| changed in color, while he red lit
mus paper turns blue. If neither one
is affected, the solution is said to be
neutral in reaction. Too much lime
should not he added as this spoils
the flavor and color of the syrup. 1t
is better to have the juice slightly
acid as an alkaline juice produces
an inferior grade of syrup.
Evaporation
The mills should never be more
| than several hours ahead of the
evaporator and no more juice should
be extra cted on a day than may be
finished in the same day. In the
evaporating pan, as thin a layer OF
Juice as possible, not over l IL
inches to 2 inches deep, should be
carried, and the evaporation should
be set so that the depth dim1nishes
to about one-half inch at the outlet,
or finishing end of the pan. A thin
layer causes quick evaporation and
less color is developed when con-
certrating to a syrup.
During the last few years many
improvements have been made in
the evaporating pans put upon the
market. These patent evaporators
have many points of superiority to
recommend them. The various COM
partments are connected and an
automatic supply valve is so placed
that the depth Of the liquid in the
evaporator can be regulated. Their
construction is such as to produce
quick concentration without the
danger of burning or scorching the
syrup. During the boiling, as i'm
purities reach the surface, constant
skimming is necessary to obtain a
clear, finished product. This skim
ming may be accomplished by the
use of a perforated ladle. CONNER
cial syrup swimmers can be bought
upon the market and are not ex-
pensive. In large plants, the con-
centration is carried on in steam
evaporators.
Standardization
Finished syrup, upon cooling,
should have a moisture content of
not over 80 per cent. One gallon
of such a syrup should not weigh
less than II IA pounds. AS the
syrup comes from the evaporator,
it is difficult to fill and weigh a
gallon measure, and the weight
would be correct only when the
whole was cooled down to about go
degrees Fahrenheit before weighing.
There are two methods for de-
termining the finishing point of
syrup. The first is noting the tenn
perature at which the syrup is boil
ing and the other is to measure the
density by means of a Beaume'
hydrometer.
By Thermometer
Water at ordinary pressure at sea
level boils at PIP degrees Fahren-
heit, while a sugar solution with 70
per cent of solids boils at 223.7 de-
grees Fahrenheit. If a thermome-
ter is placed in the boiling syrup,
one can roughly judge the density
Of the product In testing the
syrup for its density by this man
ner, it would be well to test the
accuracy of the thermometer by
placing it in boiling water and not
ing the boiling point. The syrup
should be finished at point II
TO Is degrees higher than the
boiling point Of water. Altitude af-
fects the boiling point of a liquid.
For every 500 feet above the sea
level, the boiling point is lowered
approximately ] degree Fahrenheit
SO that at a point 1000 feet above
sea level, the boiling point of water
would be at 20S degrees Fahrenheit
and a finished syrup at 220 degrees
By HydrOmeter Ea
A hydrometer or spindle is an in
strument for showing the density of
a liquid. Hydrometers are grad
uated to various scales and for va
rious purposes. The one generally
used for syrup making is the
Beaume'. With this make Of n.y.
drometer, the graduation is from
zero TO fifty divided into degrees.
The density is measured by floating
the hydrometer in a small portion
of the hot liquid in a, tall cylinder.
The point on the scale to which,
the instrument sinks in the liquid
will indicate the density. A small
quantity of syrup may be removed
from the evaporator, placed on an
upright cylinder of tin or glass and
the hydrometer inserted. A hot
syrup that will have a density of
335 degrees to "a degrees Beaume'
has been sufficiently boiled. This,
on cooling, will give a density of
81 IL degrees. to SO degrees, which
is the body required by the market.
Note: The hydrometer and Their
mometer must be used while the
syrup is at or very near boiling
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