The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1857-06-03

The following directions in reference to
the choice Of ground, time Of planting, man
nsr Of planting, ealtiyatihg, sssipping and
cutting the Chinese sngar enc, vAea II ri
grown for the purposs Of lnaking syrup o.
sngar, has been gsthsesd fron praosieal 1lsn,3
Who have had experience il the neld il the
sugar growing districts of this and other
countries, by Messrs. Hedges 4 Free, Gin
cnnati
Choice Of Ground.-Uplsnds soil 10 better
for Sugar shan low ground. though the lattsr
may be strong, deep soil. 1t il supposed
that the saccharine matter in plants IL 40.
sorbed chiefly from the atmosphere; and
though larger growth Of cane can besecur-
ed on low ground than on high, there will be
more water in the sap; and Is the cost Of
pressing and boiling is considerable, it is not
always desirable TO produce the largest
growth, but rather the richest juice.
Time Of Planti,lg.---T seed of Chinese
Sorcho, or Sergio Suore, should not be
planted until the ground has become warm
to considerable depth. II the season is
backward, as the present spring, the FIRST or
tenth Of June win do very we'll. Mr.. Whit
ney, of Washington, d. O., raised the best
seed, last year, from seed planted on the 9Th
Of June.
Manner Of Pl0nting.--All agree that one
seed in place, eight or ten inches apart, in
drills four feet apart, running north and
south, gives the best growth, and renders
its maturity more certain and uniform. 1t
should be borne in mind that the Sorgho or
Imphee stools out like wheat, j. e., one seed
produces several stocks, and therefore it is
not only useless, Interestingly detrimental
to good growth OF the best cane, to plant
the seed too thick. As light and air are es-
sential to the best growth Of sugar, it is bet
ter as general thing, to have too few than
too marty stalks; therefore no harm 10 done
if few hills fail to come up, as they proba-
bly, will when there is but one seed in a
place.
Charlottesville does not differ from
the cultivation Of Indian corn, except that it
should be watched when near maturity
When it 10 intended to make sugar or molas-
ses the seed head should be plucke I'd out
This should be done after the seed has form
cd, and before it begins to fill, j. e., before it
begins to assume milky appearance; or, in
other words, whilethebesds are yet Of . green
color inside. The seed heads are easily
pucked by grasping the head and jerking up
ward. In short time after this is done new
panicle will shoot out from the joints below,
on which new seed heads will form. As
soon as the seeds in these new heads have
begun to form, the whole stock should be
stripped bare Of all its leaves and panicle,
leaving nothing but the naked trunk.
Sfripping.--This operation is performed
very quick by those accustomed to it. 1t is
done with an instrument shaped much like a
pruning hook, only it il larger, and 10 not
sharp. A stroke downward with this ins.ru-
ment, close to the stalk, strips of not only
the panicle and blades but also the sheafs
around the stalk ct the base Of each blade.
IL the instrument is sharp it does not clean
the stalk 20 well, and besides that il would
be likely to wound the stalk, and cause it to
sour.
Cutting.-This may be done Ms soon a.
the stripping is completed, but not until the
mill and kettles are all ready, ~ the cane
should be ground MS soon as it is cut, and
the juice boiled as soon as it is pressed
Otherwise the quality of the syrup made from
it will be inferior, and 1t will be nearly i'm
possible to make sugar from it at nll.
Correspondent OF the n. Y. Evening Post
writes:
1t does net seem to be generally UNDER
stood that the Chinese sugar cane is even
more valuable FOR fodder than for the pro.
ductlon OF sugar, as 1t can be cut repeatedly
for the same purpose, and no kind OF fodder
10 90 fastening for cattle. Az the past win
ter has been one of inordinats length, it has
caused great exhaustion Of hay and other
food suitable for cattle and horses, and it has
been followed by an extremely late spring, it
is highly important that our farmers should
avail themselves Of this valuable addition to
our agricultural products in order to replace
the deficiency of grass and other food requi-
site for our cattle and horses. The Chinese
sugar cane as a crop for fodder, may be
planted ~ late - the middle of June, and
there is consequently plenty of time for all
our agriculturalists to avail themselves Of
the greatest advantages presented by this
plant.