Extraction

Rust.—A disease termed " rust has been noticed in Queensland, the Malay Archipelago, Mauritius, the Society Islands, and Bahia. It is characterized by a dark-brown or reddish granular, incrustation, which makes its appearance on the leaves and stem, and which M‘Lachlan has deter mined to be due t,o the punctures of a minute Acarus (mite), which exists upon the diseased cane in myriads. The creature looks very like a Tyroglyphus, though its habits do not altogether accord with those of that genus. A black-spored fungus is eventually produced by the red spots on the leaves ; this is regarded by Berkeley as a new species (Depazea sacchari); he considers that it merely occupies the already-destroyed tissues. The Bourbon canes suffer much more than any other variety. Prof. Liversedge, of Sydney University, considers that rust is not a disease, but rather a result of an existing diseased condition. This he ascribes to bad cultivation, want of drainage, and improper manuring-, to which must be added, irx some instances, unsuitability of climate and poverty of soil.

Smut.—In Natal, the canes are attacked by a kind of " smut" (Ustilago sacehari), analogous to the well-known disease which affects the cereals of this country ; it is entirely due to faulty cultivation.

Yields of Canes an,d Sugan—Statisties of the cane and sugar production of certain districts are useful for reference in drawing conclusions as to the results of new processes.

Barbados.

1 ft. sugar-cane weighs about lb. 1 clump „ „ 54 lb.

1 „ „ yields „ 4 gal. juice.

4 gal. juice „ 4 lb. muscovado sugar.

1 acre ripe cane (boles 6 ft. x 5 ft.) yields 1452 clumps.

1452 clumps cane yield about 5808 gal. juice.

5808 gal. juice „ „ 5808 lb. sugar.

1 acre, planted 6 ft. x 5 ft., at 50 lb. to the clump, will give 72,600 lb. or 36 tons ripe cut cane, or 21 tons raw sugar.

Louisiana.

1 acre yields 44,000-60,000 lb. cane.

The average cost per 2200 lb. is 4-5 dol.

The density of the juice varies from 6° to 10° B., and averages 8°–Si° B. ; 8° B. is equal to 11.4 per cent. pure sugar per 100 lb. juice, or 12.96 lb. sugar for the 90 lb. juice contained in 100 lb. canes ; 8i° B. would mean 15.33 per cent.

pure dry sugar.

1240 gal. juice at 81. B. produce 1048 lb. sugar, and 480 lb. molasses; with the best modem machinery, more sugar and less molasses is got.

1 gal. juice at 8i° B. weighs 10.62 lb.

1240 gal. „ „ 13,169 „ 100 lb. cane contain 90 lb. juice.

12,345 „ yield 11,111 11,111 lb. juice at 8i° B. should give 1700 lb. sugar.

The actual yield of combined sugar and water of crystallization is 14.89 per cent.

11,111 lb. juice therefore afford 1655 lb. sugar and molasses.

Of the 1655 lb., 1173 lb. are sugar, and 482 lb. molasses.

Thus 127 lb. sugar and molasses are lost in the manufacture.

11.8 lb. cane give 1 lb. sugar and 0.48 lb. molasses.

10.5 lb. cane would have given 1 lb. sugar and 0.66 lb. molasses, if no loss had occurred.

7'26 lb. cane would give 1 lb. sugar, if there were no loss, and no molasses produced. 1 acre will grow 13,000-45,000 canes.

The length of the canes varies from 3 to 8 ft.

„ weight „ averages 10 oz. per ft.

Canes 4i ft. long, weighing 3 lb. each, and growing 350 per row of 100 ft., will give 61,125 lb. canes per acre.

Planters require 35-55 lb. cane to make 1 lb. sugar and 0.66 lb. molasses.

The average for the State is 2.25 lb. sugar and 1.50 lb. molasses from 100 lb. cane. Thus 100 acres give 6,000,000 lb. cane, affording 135,000 lb. sugar, and 90,000 lb.

molasses.

But 6,000,000 lb. cane, if no loss occurs in manufacture, can give 571,428 lb. sugar, and 380,952 lb. molasses.

And, if made into first, second, &c., sugars, could yield 750,000 lb. white sugar, and 140,000 lb. molasses.

While the same cane would make 867,510 lb. concrete sugar, 1V1auritius.

1 barrel cane juice weighs 530-544 lb.

1 „ „ yields about 95 lb. sugar 1 acre cane produces 3500-5500 lb. sugar.

EgYPt 1 acre cane affords about 500 lb. refined sugar.

Juice from 100 lb. Cane.

100 lb. cane giving juice at 10° B. will yield :— 4.714 gal. juice at 50 V, extmetion. 7.543 gal. juice at 80 V, extmction.

5.185 „ „ 55 „ „ 8.015 „ „ 85 „ 5.657 „ „ 60 „ „ 8.486 „ „ 90 „ „ 6.128 „ „ 65 „ „ 8.958 „ 95 „ „ 6.600 „ „ 70 „ 9.430 „ „ 100 „ „ 7.071 „ „ 75 „ „