The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1857-10-13
CHINESE SUGAR CANE.

Caution Required in Selecting Seeds Of the
Chinese Sugar Millet.
Within the last few days l learned, from
more careful observer than myself,
that there are plants growing among the
Chinese Sugar Cane or Millet which have
no saccharine Juice, and yet are so similar
that they would not be suspected to be diff
ferent, without tasting the sap. ALI the
crops observed to be thus intermixed, are OF
the second years growth, from seed sup
piled from the Patent Office. 1t may be
that this intermixture Tor degeneracy y is
not general. But every cultivator will do
we'll to examine his plants saved for seed,
and to be sure that all such non -saceharine
plants are excluded The 'counterfeits may
readily be known by tasting the sap of the
green stalk. Even without this surest test.
one who has well compared the two plants,
may distinguish them by the age. The
sweet or true plant has its seeds covered by
close fitting sheath or envelope, which,
whensripe, is perfectly black and glossy on
the outside Some Of these 'sheaths fbut
not generality have a fine and soft hair,
less than quarter of an inch long, extend
ing from each. The other plants have
most ofthe seed coyersofa brownish, black
color, not glossy, except on few of the
seeds, and with hair about half an inch
long, standing out from every seed-cover.
The pith is white. comparatively sapless,
and without sweetness. These plants are
generally the talest and strongest, and
stand erect in many cases after all the sur
by the wind. The heads of the worthless
plant are usually larger, fuller, and more
beautiful, and hang slightly and gracefully
dropping to one side. Specimens of both
plants have been placed in the office of the
State Agricultural Society. .s--ee
These is rule for selecting seeds of the
! true cane, whether African or Chinese,
which it may be well to observe, or at least
| to test, but which report upon information,
| without any personal or experimental
knowledge of the facts. FROM Mr. Leonard
| Wray, the introducer of the Natal Sugar
| Milet Tor "Imphee'') into France and this
country, lately heard that the practice of
the Kafirs directed by long experience)
is to cut off the heads designed for seed
when they are barely ripe enough for the
seeds to germinate. The proper time is
when the seed is still partly in the milky
state. and when the solid and harder part
of each seed may be mashed between the
finger and thumb. The theory is, that IN
ripe seeds produce growth that goes most
W lorlA sugar, anu, NdS lhlcI'J me LnoSI
perfect or fully ripe seeds are more produc-
tive of seeds than sugar.
If this African practice is correct, and
the opinion on which it is founded, the
counterfeit Chinese Sugar Miileta may be
the result of successive paintings of well
rpened seeds. Either this plant is a new
production, (degenerated as to sugar, but
improved as to grain,) owing to this or some
other cause, or otherwise there must have
been some few seeds of this different Sof-
ghum, not distinguishable among some of
the true seeds of the Sugar Millet distribut-
ed from the Patent Office. .as
EDMUND RUFFIN.
September 28th, 1857.