t preservative for either fruit or flesh."

The cane was cut close to the root, and the top and leaves trimmed off.
Within several hours a full load was thus procured. The boys enjoyed the
pith, and George playfully gave some to Angel. His surprise knew no
bounds. When he knew what the cane was good for, he simply gorged on it.

[Illustration: _Fig. 16. Cane Crusher._]

Harry at once set to work on turning up two rollers from hickory, the
rollers being eight inches in diameter, and eighteen inches long, and
each being provided with a spindle four inches in diameter. One end of
each of the spindles was longer than the other, so pulleys could be
attached, the object being to provide a means whereby they might be
turned by suitable belts from the water wheel. In addition, the top
roller was made so it would yield, and had levers resting on the
spindles, and provided with weights, so the rollers would press out the
juice, whatever the quantity that might be placed between the rollers.

It was really a simple little machine to put up, but it required a day
for both of them. Vessels were now provided for the juice, and when they
were filled, the Professor suggested that a little lime should be put
into the juice, after it had been strained through the ramie cloth.

"What is the object of putting in lime?"

"To precipitate the impurities."

The action of the lime was plainly visible, and after it had been
allowed to settle, the clarified portion was drawn off, and the process
of boiling down was proceeded with. As fast as one of the vessels was
boiled down, more of the cane was crushed, the juice being dipped from
one vessel to the second one, until the entire load was crushed and the
juice boiled down to a thick consistency.

Here was molasses, at any rate a good substitute for honey, and it was
so homelike to get the real article. That night they had molasses candy.
It felt like old times. It was a real candy pulling, and no one enjoyed
it more than Angel. From the moment he had the first taste of the pulp
of the cane, he was the most interested one of the party. But the fun
came the next morning, when George brought out, for his benefit, some of
the taffy which had been set out to harden. The chuckle which he
emitted, when he tried to pry off a piece of the sweet morsel, was too
amusing for words.

When the entire amount of juice had been boiled down and it had readied
the point where it had the appearance of granu