The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1856-11-28
Sugar.

sugar. ... &
The following excellent practcala directions
for the culture of the new sugar cane, are from
q correspondent of the GRANVILLE Herald. 1t
is sufficient to direct any farmer in the man
agement Of the crop: --.-
Being requested by many to publish state
Rent, through the columns Of your paper, of
ay experience with, and the value of the
Chinese Sugar CANE, therefore send you the
following statement, which you. will please in
sert.
On the 25th of May planted about half an
acre Of ground one year old, a portion of the
soil was low and wet in the spring, in fact
covered the seed with mud the other part was
high and sandy, the consequence was when
the dry season set in, the wet part baked very
hard and the high burnt up for the want Of
rain, plowed it when about ten inches high
and that was all the working it got with the
exception of slight hoeing previous to plow-
ing; my object was to ascertain the amount of
saccharine matter contained in the stocks, and
supposed enough would grow to make the ex-
perment-many of the stalks grew from 16 to
20 feet high, Gin the low ground it only grew
IL feet) Having made mill on which. to
grind it, | commenced on the Oath of Septem-
hen the cane had then received two or three
hosts which slightly injured the taste of the
water. | am convinced that the amount of
stalks | used can be grown on less than a
quarter of an acre, the amount of water OBJ
tanned from the piece was 27O gallons, from
which made As gallons of moIasses which in
favor and beautiful bright red color, is far su-
perior to any molasses obtained in the South
did not try to grain any Of, it, as it will not
grain after being frosted; but | am convinced
there will be no difficulty in grazing it if tried
previous to frost. If it is planted by the mid
die of May 1t will ripen by the end of August,
and remain in good condition until frost and
if cut up and put in sheds Gin apprehension of
frosD it will keep well for a month or more.
l understand that many would like to raise
the cane if they knew how to manufacture it.
For the benefit of those | give the following
plan, which is cheap, simple and easy:
Any mechanic can make mill, the value
of which will not exceed ten or twelve dol
lars, it being precisely like an old fashioned
cider mill, except that the rollers are turned
perfectly smooth instead of having cogs work.
ed in them, they should be 80 inches long, the
journals 3inches long and inches in dame
ter, the diameter of the rollers should not be
less than Is inches, the upper end of the long
roller should be eight inches in diameter, on
the top of which the beam is placed for the
horse to turn the mill by, giving him IL feet
leverage. The best timber to make the roller
of in this country is sugar tree or hard ma
pie, but good firm oak will do-six inches
from the upper end turn shoulder inch
deep, making the roller 2 inches less in diam
eter from the shoulder up, this will leave Is
inches of the roller to feed the stalks through,
immediately above the shoulder insert as
many cogs as the wheel is inches in diameter
the cogs being 3 inches wide and one inch and
a half thick which leaves space between the
cogs of an inch and a half, let them project
out over the roller three-quarters of an inch
and turn them so they will work together
without friction. When ready to work strip
the blades--which are superior to corn blades
from the stalks, top them and cut them in
the middle and insert as many as you can be-
tween the rollers, the short roller should have
followers and keys that they may be keyed
close together You will need mo press as
the rollers if kept close will take out the wa
ter sufficient, and one horse will draw it with
ease. With this machine you can grind an
acre in four days. The water should be boil
ed Gf the weather is warm) as fast as pressed
to prevent it from souring. Strain the water
previous to boiling, and again after it becomes
syrup To those who have no kettles, | would
recommend them to make wooden boxes with
sheet iron bottoms, the size of the iron should
be 2 feet by THE box Is inches deep, o
inch and half poplar; groove the ends into
zthe sides, and let the iron extend over the
e ends of the box inches and nail it on with
shingle nails, driving them thus *******a
three-eighths of an inch apart and it viii
never leak. Build furnace the fue of which
is inches less in width than the boiler lay
it in mortar and build small fiue 2 or 3 feel
high to give it draft, you will need of these
boilers if you have no kettles to finish in.
have been thus explicit in giving plar
for making mill and boiler, being mechanic
and having made and used both with success
am convinced that it is the cheapest anG
best method Of grinding and boiling for those
who only wish to manufacture for their owl
use. / will here give statement of wha
may be made per acre, Judging from thu
amount of water obtained from each stock
One of my neighbors, Mr.. A. Degan, obtane'
from choice stalks l gallon of water, and Il
an other trial made by Mr.. McCleary, Sen
and myself we pressed from 10 stalks on
gallon and quart The number of stalks i
hill should be from 4 to 6. In my calcu(a
, tious | only estimate quart of water to tn
hill, allowing l6 hills per square rod, whicl
will make 1850. hills to the acre, and this, a
one quart per hill will make $40 gallons {
water, which will make ITO gallous of molas
ses; valued at rs cents per gallon woul
amount to $82, so per acre, and do not hesi
tate in saying that the amount may be dout
led. | would urge upon the farmers of tn
Western country to try it. you will not onl
save but make money by the operation.
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