The independent press. (Abbeville C.H., S.C.) 1853-1860, 1857-04-24
Chinese Sugar Cane.

WV" Soo L were young.
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Chinese Sugar Cane.
G. w. Kendall, Of the New Orleans Pic
ayune, thus adds his testimony regarding the
value OF this product. lie is farming no 4
large scale in Texas:
"ln October, 1853, purchased in Paris
Il small paper of the seed. DO not think
there was more than two hcaping table
spoontuls of it, or three at the outside. |
brought 1t with me to New Orleans, and on
arriving sent it here 10 he planted. When
| reached this place, early in May last it was
just pcerlng above the ground, two rows Of
1t IN Il ten acre field, which has been tevot-
cd IN the main to millet, oats, and little
Indian corn, and four short rows in our gar.
den; the latter was planted last.
About the Stli OF July two rows in the
larger field had shot up, headed out and
rpened, notwithstanding the drought, and
heavy heads were cut for seed. The oats.
meanwhile, had come up, the milIet was
hardly above ground, while the Indian corn
was was parched and drying up for want Of rain
Two or three mornings afterwards, on look
ing at the field from hill close by, motto
ed that two rows Of Sorgho Sucre had ell.
urc y disappeared, while rows Of Indian corn
on the other side were still standing. On
close examination, asccrtaineI that a lot of
hogs-hogs are apt to do such tlings-had
broken into the field, and devoured the
Chinese sugar came root and branch it was
cut clean to the ground by the porkcrs, not
Il single vcstige was left, while, as al
ready stated, the stalks of Indian corn on
either side were left standing. was thank
iul had saved the seed, and thought little
more Of it.
Some few days after tl,is-pell,aps a
tortnight-the rows planted in the garden
were examined, the heads of seeds found to
DC ripe, and the greater portion cut and
brought to the house, leaving the tall stalks
still standing. On cutting down one of the
latter, which must have been ten feet high,
found it to be exceedingly heavy, and on
tasting the cane it seemeed to me to be as
full OF the saccharine juice as the ordinary
sugar cane of Louisiana. At the same time
had two or three imported French merino
sheep i'll my yard, in great want of green
fodder, and on cutting tile cane in small
pieces, found that they devourcd it with
the greatest avidity. After this fed them
daily on it for some time, single stalk fur
nishing good bait. l also gave some of it
to favoritc marc, she eating it even more
greedily than the sheep. Some three weeks
after the ripe heads Of seed were cut no.
ticed that new heads had shot up from the
same stalk; and these new heads blossom
ell, filled and ripened in September, and
were cut and brought to the house. All this
time you must recollect we we're suffering
from the unprecedented drought, and Indian
corn and sweet potatoes, water melons,
pumpkings, and the like, had died down to
the very ground.
~ now became more interested in the
Sorgho Sucre than ever, and though still
fed out daily to the mernoes and mare left
a portion Of the stalks standing. Soon new
heads were seen shooting out, and these
in turn blossomcd and ripened as did the
first. kept no account OF dates, but think
this third crop Of seed from tho same stalk,
ifso may call it, was gathered about. the
first of October, it might have been during
the second week of that month. 1 planted
some of this last seed, by way Of experiment
it came up rapidly, looked thrifty, grew
up until it was nearly knee high, and was
finally cut down by frost ia November. A
great number of shoots of suckers, which
had sprung up from the stalks first planted,
were cut down at the same time. The Sor-
gho Sucrc can stand any kind ofsdrought,
but the first sharp frost kills it to the ground.
And what amount of seed do you think
purchased in Paris? Nearly, if not quite, two
bushels and had not the hogs broken into
the field, believe l should have had three.
It certainly yields in the most miraculous
manner; beats everything for dry wealth
| er.
: "Of its properties for the production Of
sugar l can say nothing 4; l only know THAT
it tastes like the common sugar cane, aud
is full of juice about the time the first head
ripeps. AS o green fodder, it; also, beats
everything which grows horses, sheep and
hogs are certainly inordinately foHd of: it,
and SO full are the stalks of sacchafine mat.
ter thatsthey must be both nutritious. and
fattening. I cannot sayswbat Kind io6f bread
Or cake the seeds will afford nor oan tell
whatEkin Of dry fodder. theplant will make
when cut green these exSeriinents / have
ayet to try, and now that have the seed,
intend to do it on a. gtspd scale. 1. shal
piantit in rows or ;dtilIs, shah sow it anc
cut Fat different stages, to try lie qualitie.
ss dry f0iaer. Eegme repeat over ant
over reagesR, chat ipstsnds drought bette
than ansihing ne bare <does, not sesm. I,
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