The Sugar Mill: Origins and Evolution Part 7: The Vertical Hydraulic Press

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Sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum) is a perennial grass of the family Poaceae. It is primarily cultivated for its juice, from which alcohol (through fermentation and distillation) and sugar (through dehydration and refining) can be obtained. Most of the world’s sugarcane is grown in subtropical and tropical areas.

It is commonly accepted today that sugarcane originated in Papua, New Guinea, where it was initially domesticated. The plant was then taken to other lands by traders, where its sweet virtues quickly made it a sought-after commodity.

It is also commonly accepted that around 10,000 years ago, the original inhabitants of Papua did not have tools to process the cane, meaning that they likely chewed it raw to extract the juice, which was consumed as- is (Noël Deerr, The History of Sugar: Volume One).

Not much written history exists that documents the early extraction of the juice for the purpose of dehydration and formation of sugar crystals until the publication of De Materia Medica, a pharmacopoeia of medicinal plants and the medicines that can be obtained from them, which was written between the years 50 and 70 of the current era by Pedanius Dioscorides, a Greek physician in the Roman army. This is the oldest record documenting the existence of crystalized sugar, which was used at the time to “treat indigestion and stomach ailments.”

How did people manage to extract the dissolved sugar from the juice? The answers to this question are at the core of this series. so join us, as we explore this fascinating topic!

                   The Sugar Mill: Origins and Evolution

                    Part 7: The Vertical Hydraulic Press

Ideas for innovating products do not always succeed.  The reasons for their failures include:A poor understanding of the problem that needs to be solved,A lack of resources to implement the new solutionA failure to market or promote the benefits of the proposed solutionThe first stage of any innovation process is the actual generation of the idea.  Many times the ideas are generated by “insiders” (the people performing a particular trade).  They may wonder or imagine the process or the tools being different but they may lack the knowledge of how to create the alternate versions.  Other times the ideas are generated by “outsiders” looking into how a particular trade functions.  These outsiders use their expertise (engineering, chemical, metallurgy, etc.) to envision how they would improve the tools and or processes.  In both cases, however, most inventors or innovators are not also marketers, and without proper market research and promotional work, even the best ideas can self-sabotage.

In last month’s chapter we explored how Bessemer’s innovation, despite receiving a gold medal (from the British Society of Arts and His Royal Highness Prince Albert) was not adopted by the industry.  In this chapter we explore another brilliant application of engineering and mechanical principles that, unfortunately, also failed to become an industry standard.  These failed approaches provide glimpses into the evolution of the industry and the mindsets of those involved, so they should not be dismissed.

C. H. Dickinson, a sugarcane plantation owner from Bayou Grosse-tete, in Rosedale, Louisiana (USA), is an example of an “insider” who used his available knowledge to try to improve the sugar extraction process at his own sugarcane plantation.  Dickinson designed and built a Vertical Hydraulic Cane Crusher, for which he obtained United States Patent Number 137,349 on April 1, 1873.  We do not know for sure, but perhaps Mr. Dickinson was satisfied enough with the implementation of his new press at his plantation that he did not have the need -or time- to pursue its commercialization elsewhere.Shown on the background is the diagram for the hydraulic sugarcane crusher, as recorded on the patent application.

                                Sugar Mill Spotlight

Ruins of the Annaberg Plantation, Virgin Islands National Park, St. John, USVI.  The Annaberg Plantation was one of 25 active sugar factories on St. John in 1780, where sugarcane juice was processed into raw sugar, molasses and rum.

Join us again next month, as we continue to explore this fascinating topic!