St. Charles Republican intelligencer. (St. Charles [Charles City], Iowa) 1856-1857, 1857-03-19
Chinese Sugar-Cane.

| ihc Picocht prospective Ilgn price
OF sugar serves to make the intro
duction of the Chinese sugar-cane into
the United States by our Government
a subject of great Importance, not tc
the cane grower merely, but to every
individual, whatever his location OF
pursuit. The man of poverty is quite
as much if not more deeply interested
in it than the man of opulcncc, because
wealth can command Injuries at any
cost, while high price for common
necessity of every-day-lifc, like sugar
must be had at whatever price by the
poor, or else great Inconvenience, il
not suffering, will ensue. From DR.
Battey's account Of it, we give q
few condensed extracts, which viii
give our readers good idea of the
subject. DR.. Robert Battey is practi
cal chemist, add graduate of the Phila
delphia College of Pharmacy. Hesays
81 have witnessed the growth OF
the cane by the acre, and production
of syrup by barrels. Calmly viewing
all the facts which have been able
to collect, no longer entertain doubt
that this plant is we'll worthy of the
attention and study of the farmers
and planters of the South. The Chinese
sugar-cane seems to adapt itself to all
the vicissitudes of our varied climate
and soil, with facility unsurpassed
by corn or wheat. In Cherokee,
Georgia, it hourishes in high degree
of perfection upon soils high and low,
rich and comparatively poor, produc-
ing heavy crops of stalk, leaf, and
seed. l have found it grow with me,
in all respects, as vigorously as corn,
with precisely similar treatment.
In Allegany Co., Nd, a correspond.
dent writes for the American Farmer :
Il think it well adapted even to
our mountainous country, and it prom
Uses to be more valuable than any
other article we can grow for proven
der. l believe it will produce six or
eight tons of dried provendcr to the
acre"
The sugar-cane has been success,
fully grown in Illinois, and one gallon
of the juice is said to have yielded, by
boiling, a quart of syrup of good
quality. There is every reason to
conclude that the cane may be easily
ana successfully grown in all parts of
our country. Let the ground be well
cultivated, as for corn. A small
portion of the crop should be reserved
for seed, and permitted to stand until
fully matured and dry. By all means
permit no Broom- Corn, Dourah Corn,
or other plants of the same family, to
.grop near yom Cane. 1t readily inter-
mixes with these varieties, and effect
ually ruins your seed for the pro-
duction of syrup. For the same
reason, great care shuld be observed
in procuring reliable seed, as we'll as
in keeping them so. The space be-
tween the rows may be three feet,
and the seed put in, say two or three
every six inches. When we'll up, the
stoutest and healthcst should alone be
allowed to remain when of sufficient
size they should be suckercd down to
one cane for each root. In other re-
spccts, the successful grower of corn
will not be at loss in the cultivation
of this plant.
The land should be prepared in all
respects as for corn. When the stalk
shall have attained it's full size, and
the seed have passed from the dough
stage to harder texture, the cane
may be considered sufficiently mature
for harvesting. Prior to harvesting,
set of proper rollers and kettles
should be provided and well set up,
ready for service. No farmer should
intake to supply its place by wooden
en- rollers for crop ofcven two acres.
The loss of juice will more than
the difference in cx-
pense. 1t is worked by two horses.
Three kettles, of from 60 to 100 gallons
capacity, will be required okcep pace
fully with the mill. 1t is desirable
that these should be broad and shallow,
that they may present large evapor-
ating surface, and substantially set in
brick for security and convenience.
The canes, located conveniently at
hand, are one by one doubled in the
middle and forced between the rollers
which are kept in as close proximity
as the strength of the mill and the
power applied will warrant.
One of the first things done in COM
mencing operations should be to start
the fire under the kettles, that they
may be well warmed by the juice is
ready for them. In regard to the pre-
else degree of concentration to which
the syrup should be brought, it is cx-
ceedlngly difficult to lay down any
precise and simple rule which shall
meet every case.
Mr. Peters, of Georgia, states the
yield of his best eighth acre in syrup
1t 52l gallons-that of the nooroSt ,