[Syrupmakers] Mill Efficiency using Chewing Cane

[Richard Harrison]

       Today I milled 15 stalks--50 lbs-- of a soft chewing cane which we call 'Heirloom Green' (because no one seems to know its original name). It yielded 34 1/2 lbs of juice giving it a whopping 69 % milling efficiency. Last week, I used Cayana cane with the same mill and settings and came up with 56 % for that variety. On a ton of cane, we're talking about 124 gallons of Cayana vs.153 gallons of Heirloom Green(at 9 lbs/gallon of juice).
       I think that I can see why that back in the horse-drawn mill days that more chewing cane was used. It mills easier--- reducing the need for big strong mills and reduces the work a little for making syrup. One stalk of chewing cane is as easy to strip, top, cut and load as a stalk of small diameter, hard syrup cane. It is easier to mill. It yields a heavier stalk with much more juice being extracted from it, too. Cuts down on labor some.
       A batch of syrup was started using about 30 gallons or so of the Heirloom Green chewing cane, but daylight grew short too early and the temperature was getting a little too chilly outside to finish it off....oh, well it is semi-syrup, so it will keep well. Maybe tomorrow or the next day.
       I'd like to try some purple(red) chewing cane to see if the milling efficiency is similar to the green chewing cane. I would expect it to be.
                                      Richard Harrison


       
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