A dry milling factor is obtained by running dry milling tests under
 government supervision. This factor is calculated by dividing the mixed
 juice (the juice sent from the crushing plant to the boiling house) brix by
 the crusher juice (to which no water has benn added at the crushers) brix, for
 example:

 Mixed juice brix 15.0%
 Crusher juice brix 16.0%
 15.0
 j-. = .937 or .94 dry milling factor
 sucrose
 % Purity = scrosx-100

 Brix of the normal juice = average crusher juice brix x dry milling factor.

 Sucrose of the normal juice = normal juice brix x mixed juice purity


 These definitions and examples show the complexity and detail that are
 necessary to insure the processor a fair return, to establish factors in milling
 and to comply with government regulations.

 873.14(b)(2) states that net sugarcane (except salvage sugarcane) shall be con-
 verted to standard sugarcane by multiplying the total quantity of net sugarcane
 delivered by each producer by an applicable quality factor, using 12.5 percent
 average sucrose in the normal juice as the base with a quality factor of 1.00.
 For each increase or decrease of 0.5 percent sucrose, the factor increases
 (premium) or decreases (discount) by 0.05.

 ESTIMATING QUALITY IN THE FIELD
 Hand refractometers, available locally, are small, convenient instruments
 for estimation of sugarcane quality. They are refractive devices that give a
 direct reading of the total soluble solids (mostly sucrose) in juice. To use
 one, merely squeeze a few drops.of juice from a joint near the center of the
 stalk and place on the glass prism. A pair of pliers can be used to extract
 the juice.With the prism cover closed, the user looks through the adjustable
 eyepiece and locates a dividing line crossing the scale and reads the percent
 brix directly where the shaded area meets the unshaded area. A temperature
 scale is not provided on the simpler, inexpensive instruments, nor is it
 necessary. This is because of the following factors: 1) no two joints of
 cane are likely to give the same reading on a single stalk, 2) no two stalks
 in a field are likely to give the same readings, and 3) the readings are
 relative and do not require exactness.

 Readings taken at the bottom, middle and top of the stalk give an indica-
 tion as to ripeness of the cane. For example, if readings from bottom to top
 were 14.2, 10.6 and 6.8, the cane is green and should be allowed to mature.
 If the readings were 18.6, 17.0 and 13.5, the cane is mature and ready.to
harvest.