and while the sirup produced paid the expenses of the factory, not a
crystal of sugar was made. The factory then, in 1883, changed hands, and
passed under the superintendency of Prof. M.A. Scovell, then of
Champaign, Illinois, who, with Prof. Webber, had worked out, in the
laboratories of the Illinois Industrial University, a practical method
for obtaining sugar from sorghum in quantities which at prices then
prevalent would pay a profit on the business. But prices declined, and
after making sugar for two years in succession, the Sterling factory
succumbed.

The Hutchinson factory at first made no sugar, but subsequently passed
under the management of Prof. M. Swenson, who had successfully made
sugar in the laboratory of the University of Wisconsin. Large amounts of
sugar were made at a loss, and the Hutchinson factory closed its doors.
In 1884, Hon. W.L. Parkinson fitted up a complete sugar factory at
Ottawa, and for two years made sugar at a loss. Mr. Parkinson was
assisted during the first year by Dr. Wilcox, and during the second year
by Prof. Swenson.

Much valuable information was developed by the experience in those
several factories, but the most important of all was the fact that, with
the best crushers, the average extraction did not exceed half of the
sugar contained in the cane. It was known to scientists and well
informed sugar makers in this country that the process of diffusion was
theoretically efficient for the extraction of sugar from plant cells,
and that it had been successfully applied by the beet sugar makers of
Europe for this purpose.

In 1883, Prof. H.W. Wiley, chief chemist of the Department of
Agriculture, made an exhaustive series of practical experiments in the