For the sake of simplifying the explanation, it was assumed that the
water added is equal in volume to the juice in a cellful of cane chips.
In practice more water is added, to secure more perfect exhaustion of
the chips, and with the result of yielding about thirteen volumes of
juice for every nine volumes as it exists in the cane, and of extracting
92.04 per cent. of all the sugars from the cane, as shown by the report
of Dr. C.A. Crampton, Assistant Chemist of the U.S. Department of
Agriculture.


INVERSION OF SUGAR IN THE DIFFUSION CELLS.

In the experiments at Fort Scott in 1886, much difficulty was
experienced on account of inversion of the sugar in the diffusion
battery. The report shows that this resulted from the use of soured cane
and from delays in the operation of the battery on account of the
imperfect working of the cutting and elevating machinery, much of which
was there experimental. Under the circumstances, however, it became a
matter of the gravest importance to find a method of preventing this
inversion without in any manner interfering with the other processes. On
the suggestion of Prof. Swenson, a portion of freshly precipitated
carbonate of lime was placed with the chips in each cell.[1] In the
case of soured cane, this took up the acid which otherwise produced
inversion. In case no harmful acids were present, this chalk was
entirely inactive. Soured canes are not desirable to work under any
circumstances, and should be rejected by the chemist, and not allowed to
enter the factory. So, also, delays on account of imperfect machinery
are disastrous to profitable manufacturing, and must be avoided. But for
those who desired to experiment with deteriorated canes and untried
cutting machines, the addition of the calcium carbonate provides against