The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1856-10-23
From the National In,elligeneer.
The Chinese Sugar Cane

tions,' is the Chinese sugar cane or '.sor-
gho sucre," (sorghum socchratum) The
history of+its introduction and some account
of It's success have been from time to time laid
before the public through the columns of the
Intelligencer and other channels, exciting the
scepticism Of many and even the derision of
ONE, but fortunately awakening the curosi-
Y and enterprise Of discerning and intelligent
.gricuturalsts in various sections Of the { nit
ed States. We have the qualification Of real
.zing the happy results Of the investigations
and labors Of this latter class. in the success
tul cultivation. it is hoped and believed Of one
ofthe most valuable products Of the soil that
has ever engaged the attention Of the hus
bandinan--a product which, there is well
grounded reason for assuming, will Of itself,
in brief period, more than recompense all
the pccuniary aid and labor that have been
bestowed upon the whole subject OF agrcul
ture by our Government, in the introduction
Of plant that may be propagated with adj
vantage in every locality in the Union, that
viii provide essential alimcnt and a luxu-
ry TO every family at an exceedingly low
cost, and that may before long enable us to
export to various portions Of the world an ar
ticle Of merchandise that we now import TO
the amout Of nearly fifteen millions Of dollars
q year.
It is singular and gratifying coincident
that the introduction Of this plant, and the
discovery of its great excellence and adapta
tation to the soil and climate Of many regions
Of the United States; should be made at the
precise moment of the apparent decadence Of
the culture Of sugar upon the plantatio OF
the South. That this may not result to the
disadvantage Of the important interests invov
ell in these plantations is not only desired, but
believed by those who fostering the cult
1G ha ylo lar
to be the accepted opinion that, though the
latter may prosper in any locality in which
maize or Indian corn succeeds. yet the soil
and climate capable Of producing the sugar
will prove the best adapted OF all to the
sorgho sucre and that it will hence flourish
there in its greatest perfection.
The annexed communication comes to US
from gentleman whose high intelligence
social position, and character as well as the
fact that his name has been hitherto honora-
bly, connected with enterprises of agricultural
improvement. demand for his representations
the confidence of every reader.
COMMUNICATIONS.
MEssRs. EDITORS: l feel it my duty to
make known to the Southern public the result
ofmy strip making from the Chinese sugar
millet, in hopes that others who have sown
this valuable variety Of the millet may be in
iuced to work it up into syrup this season.
| send you few joints Of the cane and
sample Of the sirup, of which | have made
several barrels.
spring Of 1855 from d. Redmond. Esq, of
the Southern Cultiyator." considered it
,humbug' from its close resemblance in seed
and growth to the Guinea corn until my
children, towards fall made the discovery Of
its being to their taste equal to the true sug-
ar cane.
This year | planted one patch April 18th:
and another May 18th near Calhoun, Gordon
county, on land that would produce during
.'seasonable" year forty bushels of corn per
acre and this year not over twenty bushels
The seed were sown carelessly indrills three
feet apart. and covered with one horse plow
1 intended to "chop OUT to stand of one
tack SIX inches apart in the row, but failed to
get good stand, as the seed came up badly,
from the depth and irregular covering. l
worked this out, as for corn ploughing twice
hoeing once
AT the suggestion Of Gov Hammond of
South Carolina. l determined to give the sir
up making fair trial, and consequently or
dered from the Messrs. Winship. of Atlanta,
very complete horse power mill with verti
cal iron rollers, which has worked admirably
crushing out juice for eight gallons Of syrup
per hour. 1t is worked by two mules. with
one hand TO put in the cane. and boy TO
drive.
On the 18th of the month. finding the seed
fully ripe. | had the fodder pulled and seed
heads cut
The yield Of fodder per acre is 100 TO L.
300 lbs, aud Yields Of seed 25 bushels of &c
lbs, to the bushel. At the first trial Of the
mill, - average canes gave 90 qts, Of juice.
Subsequently, coo average canes, passed once
through the rollers. gave 38 gallons and ct;
passed second trN through, gallons
The 40 gallons and l ct, gave gallons of
thick syrup.
| carefully measured an eighth of an acre
having tie best canes and the best stand, and
another eighth having the poorest canes and
the poorest stand. The result give below.
tie canes passed once through the roller.
Best Eighth ot'an here
lied ofjuice from 1915 canes 253 gallons
Yield OF sirup from 253 gals juice, 5ss "
Rates per acre of syrup 46S
Poorest Eighth Of az Acre
Yield of Juice from $3.50 canes l19 gals
y ield of syrup from l19 gals juice, 43i a
Rates per of sirup, $40
Weight Of 80 selected canes 49s lbs.
juice pressed out 25s
crushed cane, %
Loss in crushing
Weight Of crushed cane dried in sun, %
Obtaining such unlookedfer success with the
Chinese sugar-cane concluded to try our COM
mon Germ From new ground planted three
by three, ore stalk to a hill, a week beyond the
roasting-ea- stage selected 80 stalks:
Weight Of 30 stalks, SO lbs.
juice, Lot 3"
crushed stalks, l9A
Less in crushing,
Yield ofsyrup, ID pts.