Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1856-10-31


IT'S being made a reliable crop so far
north.
CHINESE SUGAR CANE,-( Sorgh-
nm Socchdsatum -Messrs Ed
tors Some weeks age | wrote a
short article concerning this sugar
cane, giving my opinion Of IT as il
appeared at that time, aud promised
10 let you hear from me again on the
same subject. My cane was planted
about the Goth of May. II came Up
well and has grown well, having
reached the height Of ten feet, A
few days ago-the plant being Just
out Of the flowers, or in other words
past its bloom cut several stalks
and stripped off the leaves, crushed
the cane and pressed out the Juice,
which | boiled down to molasses
and fine article it is, which ! in.
tend to give you both ocular and
oscular" proof, MS good as can be
bought for fifty or sixty cents per
gallon. The Juice is very rich in
saccharine matter, yielding from a
fourth to fifth OF its bulk in good
molasses. was anxious to make
some sugar, but not knowing the
art, did not succeed. have not
a doubt but that the finest Of sugar
can be made from 1t and make it pay.
did not attempt to make cham
payne from it, though it is said to
make good article. The great diff
hculty is to express the juice from
the stalks, and nothing that know
Of will do it enecually bot a sugar
mill, those we do not have in these
parts. But if this article proves, on
further trial to be what ! think il
is, sugar mills will be erected in al
most every town in the good old Bay
State, and we no longer be depend
ant on slave labor for our supply of
sugar and molasses hope it may
be so, Tor then we shall give slavery
a serious blow, and perhaps Virginia
will find the demand for slaves to
20 down South on the sugar planta-
tions considerably diminished, 50 as
to render the business Of breeding
slaves Improbable for that State.
Then again there will be a great deal
Of satisfaction in knowing that we
are usiug sugar and molasses from
cane grown on free Soil by free 1Gbor.
II this article should succeed perfect
ly, we cannot sufficiently estimate
the glorious results of its successful
cultivation. | fully believe from my
limited experience, that we may
successfully compete with Louisiana
with its slave labor in producing SUI
gar and molasses for we have in
this variety of sugar cane great
advantage over that which they cul-
tivate, Tor this can be grown from
seed, while that which they grow
never seeds, but is Reproduced from
Joints or cuttings Of the cane, aud
consequently they are obliged Ia save
by from a third to fourth of their
entire crops for the next years set
ting.
Then again with this sugar cane
no part is lost, as with them, hut the
leaves are stripped off for fodder /;
the top will answer for brooms like
the broom corn. and even the refuse
cane is said to make fine article cf
paper. Then again most any of our
land that will grow Indian corn will
grow sugar cane, while their sugar
land--nt least much of it--has to be
drained, at considerable expense, and
kept dry, or the cane will not flourish.
II there is so much in our favor,
why may we not grow enough of Tins
article to supply our own wants, il
we do not wish to compete with
them in other markets. 1t is a fine
nrilcle for slower, II is so rich in sac
charlne matter cows, pigs, and even
horses will eat the stalk with the
greatest avidlty. 1t is said that the
lnice when set with alum. dyes a
beautiful red, but IN this | was only
/ partially successful, II coming short
Of my expectations. The seed when
rlpened is good for fatiening fowls
| pigs, &c. believe it to be one ol
most valuable articles that hns been
introduced for many years, second in
importance To few things that Tar.
mer can grow. 1t is very desirable
that II should be more extensyel,
raised another year, and careful ex-
permonts made with il so as 10 de.
tcrnlne lis comparative value MS q
field crop. hope we may hear from
others who have raised it, that we
may the better judge its value on
different soils aud under different cir
Z cumsiances. +. &. HYDE.
Newton Centre Sept. 20, 1856.