Quasqueton guardian. (Quasqueton, Buchanan County, Iowa) 1856-1858, 1857-01-31
Gbe Youse ato farm.
For the Qaasquetoa Guardian.
THE CHINESE SUGAR CANE.
Quosqueton, ian. "a, 1857

Mr.. EDITOR:
The rapid diminuties ef
the Sugar crop of the Southern States,
already to one-fourth of the quantity pro-
duced few years since, and the oonse.
quent high price of that indispensable
article of food, is subject of great in
terest to consumers, and may well attract
the attention of political economists
The progressive degeneration of the cane
plant is an established fact, and thus far
all efforts for its restoration have proved
abortive. BY stretch of its legitimate
/ power, never attempted in behalf of any
Northern, or even truly National inter-
est, national vessel was sent, at grea.
expense to the General Government, to
foreign coontry, for fresh supply Of
cane-cuttings for the sugar planters, in
| the hope, doubtless, of thus re-establish-
ing their decaying trade on its original
footing. Notwithstanding the total fail
ure of the enterprise, the gentlemen en-
ployed to get up the Agricultural portion
of the Patent Office Report, advises q
repetition Of the experiment son liber-
al and extensive scale" admitting at the
same time that no satisfactory results are
to be expected from the measure without
the concurrence of certain other mea-
sures which seem little likely to be gen.
orally adopted. Altogether, | think
there is little prospect Of a speedy rcstor-
alton, but rather of its continued de-
| cline.
Whether the consumers of sugar may
expect any relief from Congress in tie
way of abatement of the high protect
i've" duty on foreign sugar, | am entirely
unable to guess" There is move
ment on foot to that end. But whatever
Congress may do, any relief which is
possible from that source must be only
partial at the most, and probably quite
insignificant. 1t must be remembered
that the West India Islands, formerly
large producers of this article, especially
while the institution Of Slavery existed IN
all of them, now, with increased encour-
agement Cor diversified Industry. with tie
tendency which free-labor maniiests to
expend itself on products for home con-
sumption, and on the improvement of its
domestic condition, and from other caus-
es there operating, furnish, and will
furnish, much less sugar for expectation
than formerly.
In these circumstances, think we may
regard as valuable acquisition sugar
producing plant which can be cultivated
in all parts of the country-at least in
latitude not higher than our own-and is
found capable of subscribing several 9th
er important purposes in domestic econo-
my. Such is said to be the Chinese Su-
gar Cane, lately introduced into this
country from France, and tried in differ
ent parts of the country for two years
past The results of the trials of the
first of these two years are found in the
Patent Office Report for 1855, recently
published. The general conclusion from
these reports is highly favorable.
This plant Sorghum saccharatum, }
much resembles common broom corn, TO
which it is botanically allied. 1t will
grow and flourish in climates and soils
adapted to the growth of Indian corn,
and requires similar treatment in cultiva-
ton AT maturity, and for some time
previous, the stalks are found to yield
large quantity of juice, which Is very
rich in saccharine matter. The expert
ments thus far reported have not resulted
in producing sugar of the finest quality.
but there seems no reason to doubt that
such could be obtained upon the employ
ment of chemical and mechanical skill
and ingenuity in the adaptation of means
to the conditions which it presents. The
products of the limited and rude expert
ments already made, are not appalatah.ss
or in any respect unsatisfactory.
One result which think may be an
ticipated in the present state of our know.
ledge on this subject, not theleast impor-.
tant or gratifying in my estimation, is
this: that if it prose, to be what it prom
ises, it will put nbo,the hands Of every
cultivator of the soil, every small farmer
even, the means of supplying his own
family, if not with very fine sugar, at
least with syrup suitable for most uses Of
sugar and molassss.
Besides the other products associated
with sugar, and red or pink dye. this
plant furnishes large amount of highly
nutritious and acceptable food for horses.
cattle. sheep, and swine, of which two
oro,,e, y,ox. no lor~astaI ia a coocnp Ear