American union. [volume] (Morgantown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1855-1859, 1857-02-21

III height and one inch aud half ia d.
amdter. grown in tho District of Colum.
bic, on the moist. loamy land referred
10 above, yielded only IA per cent of
day ssccbarine mater, while that i, ON
q stalk about nine feet in height, an inch
IN diameter, cultivated on the ligh, land
IN Massachusetts,, gave 23 per cont
furthermore, 1t was asserted that alcho.
mol OF superior quality and agreeable
taste, resembling noyau, had been man
ufactured from it--a bread.saving crop
being thus supplied aud that if RI. dis.
TILED with grape-seeds would produce
an excellent brandy. But a difficulty
bad been app, ehended. both in the man
ntactnre of sugar and alcohol, from the
fermentation OF the Juice in warm wealth
err owning to tho short time left for the
manufacture. This, however, he though,
might be ouviated III a northern climate
| by planting the seed sufficiently late To
allow It's maturity To occur daring the
time OF the light autunual frusts. He
| had observed that the juice did not fer.
meht when The mean temperature of
tho day was 459 or 500 F.; bat at a
greater heat 1T soon pa,took of the ma
ture of cider. aud would doubtless o.
rentnaiy make an excellent vinegar,
l,5OO gallons ofwhioh. no thought might
be produced TO the acre.
10 respect TO its nutri;ive properties
he cited instances Of cows which had
been fed upon this cane exclusively,
giving diminished quantity of milk,
but of increased richness of quality
When deprived of their pellicles or Gov
eilng. the seed had been used in France
III the manufacture of chocolate the
pellc!es themselves being employed for
0yeing SIX, lmparting shades varying
from pale violet 10 Il rose carmine.
As 10 the fact of this plan, exhaust.
ing the soil, Mr.. Browne though, there
was no doubt. Judging from its an.
al"gy TO the perennial cane, he believed
that at least half Of its ash consists uf
phosphates and more than one. fourth of
silica. He did not think it advisable TO
apply t" this crop much ,ifany other than
ammonIcai manures, as it would flourish
on an Indifferent soil, by the addition of
moderate quantity Of boue-dust. phos-
phatlc guauo, wood ashess, or pondre,lo.
lftbus cultivated, and the crop fed out
to the animals on the farm, and their
manure returned TO the fields on which
the plant grew, it could not fail to be a
direct and economical mode of restoring
fertility 10 exhausted lands
In conclusion, on being asked for his
candid opinion as To the adaptation of
this species of cane 10 the wants aud e.
economy Of the United States, MIR. Browne
aVerled that as forage crop and Il ,e-
storer of exhausted lands, more espec-
tally those otJhe Atlantic andGulf States
wherever the corn plant would thrive.
IN cannot DO surpassed by any other
product. IL was also his belief that il
would produce sufficient syrup, and per-
haps sugar, alchohol, and vinegar, to
supply the demands Of the whole coun-
try, in all situations where the plant
would develop It's seeds II milky stage.
He would not however, advise the far
ners To be too sanguine in adopting his
vicws, and thereby run into undue spec.
uIation by excessive cultivation, nor in
making unwarrantable expenditures, for
the purchase of machinery and seed. -
He had no hesitation in predicting that
its adoption would be general, and
at no distant day it would be ranked a,
mong our staple crops.