The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1857-03-12

without injury, after the panicles appear, but
not In its younger and moie tender states.-
If suffered to remain in the field after the
seeds have ripened and have been removed,
where the season is sufficiently warm and long,
new panicles will shoot out at the topmost
joints, one or more to each stalk, and mature
second crop Of seeds. The average yield of
seed to each panicle Is at least gill.
CULTIVATION.
Since its introduction into this country, the
Chinese sugar-cane has proved itself well
adapted to our geographical range Of Indian
corn. 1t is of easy cultivation, being similar
to that Of maize or broom-corn, but will
prosper in much poorer soil. It does not
succeed so well, however, when sown broad
cast with the view Of producing fodder, as it
will not grow to much more than one-half of
its usual height. IL the seeds are planted in
May, in the Middle States, or still earlier at
the South, two crops Of fodder can be grown
in season from the same roots-the first one
in June OF July, to be cut before the panicles
appear, which would be green and succulent,
like young Indian corn-and the other month
or two later, at the time or before. the seed is
fully matured. In the extreme Northern
States, where the season is too short and cool
for it to ripen in the open air, the cultivator
will necessarily have to obtain his seed
from regions further south. Ifit were impor-
tant for him to raise bis own seed, he could
start the plants under glass, in the spring, and
remove them to the field or garden at about the
period of planting Indian corn, after which
they would fully mature. One quart Of seed
are found to be sufficient for an acre. il the
soil be Indifferent or poor, they may be sown
in rows or drills about feet apart, with the
plants from 10 to IL inches asunder; but if the
coil be rich, they may be planted in hills, five
or more seeds to each. or feet apart 10 one
direction, and 3 or in the other. The plants
may be worked or hoed twice in the course of
the season, in similar manner to Indian corn.
Any suckers or superfuous shoots, which may
spring up, may be removed. The seed
should not be harvested before it acquires a
dark or black hue. Should the plants lodge,
or fall to the ground, by the excessive weight
of the heads, during storms Of wiud or rain,
before the seed natures, they may remain for
weeks without injury. In collecting the seed,
convenient method is to cut off the stalks
about foot below the panicles, tie them up in
lunches of twenty-five, and suspend them in
any secure, airy place, sheltered from rain
If intended solely for fodder, the first crop
should be cut just before the panicles would
appear and the second, as soon as the seed ar
rives at the milky stage. 1t may be tied up in
bundles, shocked and cured, like the tops or
stalks Of Indian corn. lfnot intended to be
employed for any other economical use, after
the seed has been removed, and the weather
be cool, and the average temperature Of the
day does not exceed 45 or 500 F., the stalks
may be cut up close to the ground, tied in
bundles, collected into shocks, or slowed in
mass in asucculent state, for fodder in sheds
or barns, where they will keep without injury,
if desired, until spring. In this condition,
however, the lower parts Of the stalks will be
found to BE quite hard and woody, and will
require to be chopped into small pieces for
feeding.
Observation-Disclosures care should be OBJ
served not to cultivate this plant in the vicin-
ity Of Dourah corn, Guinea corn, nor broom
corn, as it hybridises or mixes freely with
those plants, which would render the seeds of
the product unfit for sowing.
Yours, very respectfully, 81
Il v,v