Page:Willich, A. F. M. - The Domestic Encyclopædia (Vol. 4, 1802).djvu/186

160&#93; i6o] SUG able to swallow, the most, proper drink will be vinegar and water, or infusions of mint and balm. SuiFoLK-GRASS. Scc Annual Meaoow-grass. StJGAIl,a sweet concrele juice, obtained froni the Sugar-cane, or Saccharnm officinarum, L. a .s|)e- cies of reed or cant*, which grows in the East and W'^est Indies. Ac- cording to modern chemists, how- ever, it is a true essential salt, ca- pable of crystallization ; and which is contained, in a greater or less proportion, in all vegetables of a sweet taste, but most abundantly in the plant above mentioned. The culture of sugar-cane being unprafticable in Britain, we shall only observe, that it grows to the height of from 3 to 7, and some- times to 12 feet, in strong deep lands. When ripe, it assumes a fine straw-colour ; and is usually cut at the age of J 2 or 15 months, according to the season, or the na- ture of the soil. The canes are divided into pieces aliout a yard in length ; tied uj) in bundles ; and conveyed to a mill ; where they are expressed between three upright wooden rollers co- vered with iron. The saccharine juice is condu6led into a receiver ; and, being apt speedily to ferment, it becomes necessar)' to separate the sugar as soon as possible. This obje6t is effected by clarifying it in a boiler, over a fire, with a small portion of pulverized quick-Hme; after which it is evaporated in a cauldron, till it acquires a due de- gree of consistence j when it is poured into coolers. As the in- spissated fluid becomes cool, the sugar spontaneously shoots into ir- regular crj'stals, separated from the mother. ivater. Next, the gra- nulated matter Is conveyed to the curing-house, ^here the treacle is SUG completely drained ; in which dry state, the former is called raw, or mincnvadn sugar: thus it is sent to Europe, where it is subsequently retined. The most perfeft purification, or refining of sugar, is performed ia the following manner: The raw powder is again boiled in proper kettles, with lime-water, and bul- locks blood (that has been previ- ously strained, and deprived of its excrementitious parts) ; when it is boiled down to a pro{Xjr consist- ence. It is then laded into vessels to cool, being continually stirred, to prevent it from shooting into large crj-stals: wlieu perfectly cold, it is poured, into unglazed clay moulds, of a conical form, and suffered to coagulate. Farther, with a view to carry off any particles of syi up that niay still remain in the re- fined mass, the lower points of the moulds are open, and covered to the thickness of several inches with clay previously softened in water, and which is occasionally moisten- ed. In this manner, the sugar at length acquires the requisite de- gree of whiteness and fineness} in which state it is denominated /oaf or lump sugar ; and, after being dried in heated rooms, it is ready for use. In August, 1784, a patent was granted to Robekt Mukray, Esq. tor his discovery of a method of refining sugar, and making it from the cane-juice. As, however, his processes are too minute, to admit of being detailed in this work, the reader will consult the 4th volume of the Repertory of Arts, Scc. A patent was also granted in June, ISOl, to Thomas Wake- field, Esq. for a new method of refining sugar. It consists simply in placing the raw, or muscovado sugar, in any porous vessel ; when it