n, for his beautiful work descriptive of new and
improved machinery and processes employed in the cultivation and
preparation of sugar in the British colonies, designed to economise
labor and increase production.

The centrifugal machines, recently brought into use, for separating
the molasses from the sugar, more quickly than the old-fashioned
method of coolers, have tended to cheapen the production and simplify
the processes of sugar making. The planters object, however, to the
high prices which they are charged for these machines, so simple in
their construction; and that they are not allowed, by the patent laws,
to obtain them in the cheaper markets of France and Belgium.

Great loss has hitherto taken place annually, in the sugar colonies,
through the drainage of the molasses, resulting from the imperfect
processes in use; but this can now be obviated, by the use of the
centrifugal machine. It is a modification of the "hydro-extractor,"
and is the invention of Mr. Finzel, of Bristol.

The machine being filled with sugar, appropriately placed, is rapidly
revolved, and a powerful ceutrifugal force generated; the moisture is
speedily removed to the circumference of the revolving vessel, and
passes off through apertures adapted for the purpose.

Various other improvements in the making of sugar have been carried
into effect within the last few years, by Dr. Scoffern, Messrs. Oxland
and M. Melsens, but the description of these would occupy too much of
my space, and those who are desirous of growing sugar on an extensive
scale, I must refer to Dr. Evans' "Sugar Planter's Manual," Mr. Wray's
"Practical Sugar Planter," Agricola's "Letters on Sugar Farming," and
other works which treat largely and exclusively of the subject.

An announcement has recently been made, that a Mr. Ramos, of Porto
Rico, has discovered some new dessicating agent, to be used in sugar
making, which is to cost next to nothing, but improves most materially
the quality of the sugar made, and also increases considerably the
quantity obtained by the ordinary process.

The average annual quantity of cane sugar produced and sent into the
markets of the civilised world, at the present time, may be taken at
1,500,000 tons, exclusive of the amount grown and manufactured for
local consumption in India, China, Cochin-China, and the Malay
Archipelago, of which no certain statistics exist, but which has been
estimated at about another million tons.

So fa