to the manure heap. Much of the beneficial
effect of the mucilage of the _guazuma_ arises probably from an
admixture of tannin, or some other astringent; for I have often been
struck with the peculiar whiteness of the potted sugar in the
curing-house, in the immediate vicinity of the Banana stalks,
resulting, no doubt, from their powerful astringency; and tannin has
already been found useful in the manufacture of sugar from beet-root
in France, and is no doubt equally applicable to cane-sugar.

The liquor, when clarified in the manner described, must be
concentrated, by regulated evaporation, to the degree requisite for
crystallisation. This Mr. Fownes advises to be done by steam of a
moderate pressure circulating in a spiral of copper-pipe laid at the
bottom of the evaporating vessels, which should be large and shallow,
and wholly unlike those in present use. Here it may be rapidly boiled
down till the heat rises to about 225 deg., without risk of burning.
When cold, it should have a density of about 1.38, and mark the 38th
degree of Baume's hydrometer; beyond which point of inspissation it
would be dangerous to go. The remaining concentration will be most
safely conducted in the vacuum pan, where a scarcity of water does
not, as in Barbados, militate against its use.

Mr. Fownes exposes the absurdity of using shallow coolers, exposing a
large surface, and producing a rapid evaporation, for the process of
crystallisation. By the use of the shallow coolers formerly, and, I
believe, yet to be found on most estates, from the rapidity of the
evaporation, the sugar is obtained in a mass of confused and
imperfectly-formed crystals, entangling in their interstices a
considerable quantity of molasses, which impairs the color of the
product, and escaping slowly, and with difficulty, is, to a
considerable extent, lost on the homeward voyage by drainage into the
hold, occasioning much positive loss to the owner, and giving the
bilge-water a most offensive odor. He therefore recommends the use of
deep vessels, and avoidance of all agitation in this part of the
process, so as to enable the crystallisable portion of the syrup to
effect a more complete separation from the uncrystallisable portion or
the molasses. By this simple method, not only sugar of a finer and
whiter quality would be obtained, but a large per centage of loss both
of crystallisable and uncrystallisable sugar at present caused by the
leakage of the hogshead into