UIHistories Project: A History of the University of Illinois by Kalev Leetaru
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Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1882 [PAGE 91]

Caption: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1882
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85 Composition of Sorghum Seed—Orange.— Sugar Starch Fiber Water Ash Albuminoids \ Oil Tannin Total...

0.56 63.09 6.35 12.51 0.64 7.35 3.08 5.42 99.00

EXPEEIMENTS IN SUGAR MAKING—1880. The grinding of cane and the evaporation of the juice began on the 18th of September. It was the intention to begin working up the Early Amber as soon as possible after it had reached its maximum per cent, of cane sugar, and thus have it finished by the time the Orange was ready to harvest, leaving a small portion for subsequent experiments. Owing to the delay in the arrival of machinery, the work was not begun until the above date. The Early Amber had been ripe for over two weeks, and was lying prostrate from the effects of a storm. The Orange was ripe. The object of these investigations was to see whether any method of manufacture of the juice into syrup could be depended upon to insure the subsequent crystallization of the sugar. These investigations were undertaken with a view to the simplicity of machinery used and to the economical manufacturer of the syrup, so that they could be of practical use to the farmer, should any of the experiments prove successful. The apparatus used for crushing and pressing the cane was a two-horse Victor mill, with three upright rollers. The juice was evaporated in Cook's evaporator, with furnace attached, and of the size recommended for use with a two-horse crusher. The remaining apparatus consisted of barrels, tubs, pails, etc. An attempt was made to heat the juice for skimming and clarification after it had been treated by chemicals, in the pan of a steam boiler of the form used by farmers to cook food for cattle. This boiler was found unfit for the purpose, as the temperature of the, juice could not be raised in it above 108° C. A small pan was made, similar in construction to a Cook's evaporator, but furnished with a double bottom. The steam space in the bottom was about two inches high, and was connected with one of the boilers in the Chemical Laboratory. The object was to test the feasibility of evaporating the juice by steam under pressure with shallow pans. In the experiments which follow, the juice was either evaporated directly after it came from the mill, i. e., without the use of reagents, or after it had been submitted to clarifying processes. In the first, the juice is designated in the experiment as not clarified, in the second, as clarified, defecated, or neutralized.