The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1857-02-12

1
AZ this plant lie likely to be great acqui-
sition to our country, and a. the best mode
of cultivation 10 matter Of great interest
to farmers, we cory entire the following ar
sicle from the N. y. Tribune, giving pracli-
cal hints in regard to its production
/ The cultivation Of the Sorghum, or Chi
nese sugar plant. has thus proved so dec-
dcdly successful in this country, not only in
the south, where it seems to have been
demonstrated that two crops or cuttings Of
sugar bearing stalks can be obtained in one
season from the same roots Of that years
planting, but even 40 far north as Minneso-
| Ia, where it is testified that good syrup was
made in 1856 from stalks hardly hundred
days from the seed, that We are impeled to
urge upon our farmers and gardeners the i'm
| portance of early attention to the procuring
Of seed and planting for the season just be-
fore us. Let us all grow the seed this year,
so that it can never more be so scarce that
SPECTATORS may run it up TO an exorbitant
| price. A great deal remains to be settled
with regard to this plant, especially the best
mode OF converting its saccharine properties
into crystahzed sugar, and it is highly
probable that better varieties of it will be
ultimately discoverered, at least for certain
localities, than that now current in this
country. For the present, howeveryit is ad-
visable TO continue and extend the cultiva-
ton Of what is accessible, and thus test the
effect Of acclimation on the character Of the
plant and the sweetness Of its juices. We
suspect that for Louisiana, Florida and Tex
as, the Sorghum Of Southern Africa will Ill
timately be found preferable to that obtain
ed from France by our Patent Office, and
from China by France. II it prove true that
this plant, or certain varieties Of it, can be
grown from year to year in semi-tropical
ATTITUDES from the same root, as the cane ia
grown in the West Indies, and that two or
more crops Of sugar yielding stalks may be
cut from that root each season, then there
can be little doubt that our southern States
arc destined still to lead the north in the
production Of sugar. For the present, how
ever, It sufices tha the Sorghum may be
grown wherever Indian corn will usually RI
pen--that its abundant juice makes very
pleasant. syrup or molasses, to which it is
easily reduced by boiling away four-ffths Of
i in the ordinary mode Of sugar making from
the sap Of the maple-and that the leaves
and stalks, whether green or dry, Of the Sor-
ghum, make an admirable fodder for cattle,
horses or hogs, while the seeds are eaten
with avidity by fowls also, to justify the gem
erai interest evinced in it's cultivation. We
propose, therefore, to condense into the
smallest space, some practical directions to
the prospective cultivator, as follows:
l. Secd.--If there be a seed store within
your reach, your easiest way is to send and
buy what seed you want. In planting to
raise seed (the frst years objec,) n pound
" al ot.tlsn fAr ~. q ~.
to cost more than dollar. But beware Of
impostors and swindlers, for bushels of
broom corn, and kindred seeds, will be palm
palmed of AZ that Of the Sorghum -
Where you cannot readily obtain seed in this
way, write to your member Of Congress,
asking him to send you a paper, and be will
generally be able to do so. II not, the Sec
rotary Of your State Agricultural Society
may be able to supply you.
/ 2. Planting.--Choose a warm, mellow
soil, such as You would confidently expect to
grow at least fifty bushels Of Indian corn to
the acre. Plow early, pillow deep and thor
oughly. Plant ms early ms you could ven
ture to plant corn. II you have hot bed,
start little seed in one corner Of It, If YOU
plant considerably, put in your seed at diff
ferent times-say, in this latitude, one quar-
/
and June respectively. Plant (for seed) in
hills, six seeds to the hill, and at distances
Of four feet each way. Try some five feet
between the rows,) and some in drills say
four or five feet apart. IL you have seed in
abundance, sow little in drills two feet
inches apart. Cover lightly, as the seed rots
{ III X a
lance, or it will come mp too soon.
). Tillage. Sorghum comes up look
ing very puny-much like broom corn or
bran grass. II you set blockhead to weed
it, he will probably pull j, up, and report
that i, never terminated. Cultivate like In.
dian corn, only faithfully. II suckers start,
Il majority say, pinch them or pull them of
that IL in growing for seed. This need no,
be done in growing for sugar.
4. Harvesting. Whenever the seed shall
be hard and black, cut of the upper part OF
the stalks, say three feet long, and hang them
up like broom corn, in a dry chamber, aus.
pended from the ceiling, so IA to be out OF
the way Of rats, &c. Now cut UP your stalks,
pull Of the leaves, and satisfy yourself that
all manner of stock will eat them; and put
the rest Of the stalks through any kind OF q
crushing mill that may be handy--a cider
mill would be better than nothing catch the
juice and instantly warm it over slow fire
in large kettle, skimming of the scum SO
long as any shall rise. Then boil the juice
about four ffths away, as IL it were maple
sap. Use a little lime or lime water to neu-
tralize the phosphoric acid, which otherwise
will give slightly acid but not unpleasant
taste to the syrup. Save some syrup with.
out thus neutralizing the acid, as you m y
like 1t better that way. Don't waste the
scum, but throw it to the pigs, where it will
make at least excellent manure. Feed the
pumice OF crushed stalks to your cattle; and
having thus cleared the ground, be ready to
plant or sow extensively next Spring.
5. Fodder.-Wc estimate that, wheneve,
seed shall be sufficiently abundant, any rich
warm land will produce third more fodder
per mere il sowed with Sorghum than II sowr
with Indian corn, and the Sorghum is TWEEN
ty-hvc per cent. more nutritious than the
corn. But ali that can be effected this yea,
is to grow supply Of seed, and prove that
this plant is valuable both for syrup and
fodder Next year will be soon enough for
most cultirators to think OF sowing for fod
der or grinding for sugar.
One word OF caution to experimenters -
Don't run the thing into the ground. The
Sorghum will prove a valuable addition &c