Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1856-11-06
Aqrifnltnral.
Chincse Sugar Canc-SOmething
for Farmers to Look at.

Chincse Sugar Cane-SOmething
for Farmers to Look at.
We clip the following from the Louis
Vile Journal Of Friday: s. lt~
The Chinese sugar cane seed. distrib
uted by the Patent Office last spring,
promises to be complete success at the
North. A package of seed was planted
in Bucks county. Pennsylvania. latitude
40 l 2 degrees north. and has arrived al
maturity. The maximum height Of the
stalk was ten feet, and the product in
grain much create: than any cereal under
cultivation. The stalk is perfectly green
after the seed has reached maturity. and
the sacchsrine principle is then fully de.
vsioped. The juice. which is most abun
dsnt. is very saccharine, quite as much
go as the variety of cane cultivated at
the South. Whether the juice contains
the same amount of crysisllizabls sugar
remains 10 be tested. Should it be found
equal to ordinary cane in that respect. a
new era in the agriculture Of the North
will be insugurated. aud an immense
breadth of land be de voted TO its culture
as soon as the necessary seed can be OBJ
tanned. which will require another year
at least. The seed having been distribu
ted late in the spring. which was cold
and backward, there is good reason to be-
lieve that much planted did not reach
ma ,urity. Should the plant fail, 50 far
as the manufacture Of sugar is concerned. i.
yet its value as forage crop cannot be
over estimated .: the North. Cattle.
herses and hogs eat the entire stalk with
avidity. and no doubt would fstten rap
idly on it. The seed. which is small, has
thin black hull which can be taken off,
leaving fine white -four as the residue.
We have no means. at present of estima-
ting the value of This flour as an article
of food, but no doubt its merits will be
fully investigated. The culture required
for the plant is similar to that adopted
for Indian corn when planted in rows.
aud the seed should be put into the
ground abou. the same time. As it is
q sick and strong growing plant. il should
be we'll msnured." 4
The high price of sugar. says The Indi
ana Journal. which promises to 60 high
er and never TO fall, spd the apparently
chronic failure of the cane crop in the
South. makes a resort 10 some substitute
absolutely necessary. il we ara not TO see
sugar become as il was thirty years sge.
a luxury that poor families could only in
dulge in once week. Our superb maple
forests for long time supplied the bet- |
ter portion Of the sugar consumed in the
and no inconside sable part Of the |
town consumptios, but the cheaper
sfticle gradually drove il ou.
Of use, aud the sugar trees were cut down
for fire wood. or to make room for the
plough. II was sad blunder as we now
Iind. but men can't see ten years ahead.
The result may teach the lucky possess
,rs or good sugar camps" the value Of
seeping Them. We csr't look to the su-
,ar.tres to supply the failure Of the cane
low. But il seems that we are not 20 be
eft without sugar material in spite OIL
he destruction Of trees and cane. The
sorghum saccharatum." OF Chinese su- !
az cane. shss lately been introduced In !
. this country. and The few experiments !
lnde upon it with 4 view TO its utility :
8 sugar producer. have been sstonish-I
Dgly suuccessful. What Il 4 And how Il 4
J 70 bs sylsiya'sd, our 'ssasf' @ ere may T.