The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1857-08-22
Chinese sugar Cane.

The papers have yet had very little to say
about the Chinese Sugar Cane, although
there is probably not a county in the eOun-
try in which more or less was not planted.
In La Sale county nearly every farmer has
at least few rows by way of experiment
1t was generally got in SO late, however, that
we presume none has yet shown its head.
We have a few garden rows of it growing,
planted about the 1st Of June. 1t is little
taller than the fence, but we have little hope
of its maturing before frost. On chewing
the green stalks at present, they taste about
as sweet as June grass-certanly less sweet
than ordinary sweet corn. However, in the
Southern States, and even southern Illinois,
where the papers are beginning to allude to
the subject, they appear to be quite hopeful,
and anticipate splendid results
| The Prairie Beacon says, Mr. Baker, Of
Rochester Mills, ILL.,, IS trying the experimc mt
with the new sugar cane on the largest scale
that we have yet heard of lie has now
! twenty acres growing on his farm. He in
formed us the other day that it promised a
fine crop. He is building large mill, and
procuring large cast iron tanks, to be used
in the manufacture of the sap omolasses
and sugar. Mr.. Il was quite successful in
his experiments with the cane last year.
y correspondent Of the Colombia, S. c.,
Times says:
On Saturday last had the pleasure of in.
e
produced from the Chinese sugar cane
grown by DIR. ID. ". Ray, planter in the
Fork.
The specimen proved to be Of superio,
quality, half gallon Of which (molasses
had been extracted from only tuenty stalks
l learned that DIR. Ray, who is one of oul
most successful and influential citizens, has
planted only four acres in this cane and tia;
he is satisfied he will be able to extract from
it fifteen hundred gallons Of syrup, which il
equal to the specimen inspected, will be re-
garded by the heads of families quite &C.
ceptable for table use, to say nothing Of
plantation purposes.
Richard Ii. Smith, Esq, of Scotland Neck,
\. c., writes to the Raleigh Register that he
has made an experiment with the Chinese
sugar cane, with the following results:
From three unripe joints of the cane,
about one gill of the juice was imperfectly
extracted, and after having been boiled for
half au hour, tablespoonful of very good
molasses was obtained-superior to the con-.
mon grades of molasses.
| write this to encourage those persons
/ who have planted the cane, to go to work
and make their mills and give it fair trial
If they have not cane enough to justify
the expense Of mill with wooden rollers
let them extract the juice, as have done in
this instance, by using the edge of a piece
of thick plank or scanting as lever power
Make the experiment if with pint of juice
only.
From the greet yield of juice and the sim
pie process required in making the molassee
have no doubt of Its complete success anc
that the day is not distant when the sugar
mill will be as common with our people a
the cider-mill was years ago--when every
family will make their own moiasses-anC
the children-white and black-wili ca
bread and molasses, and drink ..switchel'
to their hearts content.