Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1857-07-23
Gbr farmn.
CHINESE SUGAR G. ANE.

plaEllllS, nitiinef Oh piantibg, culllVa-
ting, stripping, aud cutting the Chi
nese Sugar Cane, when it is grown
fol the purpose of making Syrup or
Sugar, has been g,thered from prac-
teal men. who have had experience in
the field in the sugar growing districts
of this and Q her countries, by Messrs.
Hedges & Free, corner of Main and
Water streets, Cincinnati:
Cno.cE OF GRouND.-Upland soil
is better for Sugar than low ground,
though the latter may be a strong
deep soil. 1t is supposed that the
saccharine mltter in plants is absor-
bed chiefly from the atmosphere; and
though larger growth of cane can
be secured on low ground than on
high, there will be more water in the
sap; and as the cost of pressing and
boiling is considerable, it is not alwys
desirable to produce the largest
growth, but rather the richest juice,
TINE OF PLANfING.-The seed of
the Chinese Sorgho, or Sorgho Sucre,
should not be planted until the
ground has become warm to consid-
cradle depth. If the season is back
ward, as the present spring, the FIRST
or tenth of June will do very well.
MIR. Whitney. of Washington, D. c.,
raised his best seed, last year, from
seed planted on the 0th of June.
MANNER OF PLANrING.-All agree
that one seed In pace, 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 MUD that the Sorgho or
1mphee stools out like wheat, i. e. one
seed produces several stalks, and ii is
therefore not only useless but detri-
mental to good growth of the best
cane to plant the seed too thick. As
light and air are essential to the best
growth for Sugar, it is better, as a
general thing, to have too few than
too many stalks, therefore no harm
is done if a few hills fail to come up,
as they probably viii when there is
but one seed in place.
CULTIvATIoN.--This does not differ
from the cultivation of Indian Corn,
except thatit should be watched when
near maturity. When it is intended
to make sugar or molasses, the seed
head should be plucked out. This
should be done after the seed has
formed, and before it begins to fill, i. e.,
before it begins to assume milky
appearance; or in other words, while
the seeds are yet of a green color
inside. The heads are easily plucked
out by grasping the head and jerk
{ ing upward. In a short time after
this is done new panicle will shoot
out from the joints below, on which
new seed heads will form. As soon
asthe seed in these new heads have
begun to form, the whole stalk should
beNstripped bare of all its leaves and
panrle, leaving nothing but the ma
ked Iunk.
SRIPPrNG.--This operation is per-
formel very quick by those accus-
tomedto, it 1t is done with an In
strumen shaped much like prun-
ing hook,phly it is larger and not
sharp A ,troke downward With this
instrument, close to the stalk, strips
off not only he panicle and blades.
but also the skaths around the stalk
at the base ot.each blade. If the
instrument is sharp it does not clean
the stalk SO well, AID besides that, it
would be likely to hound the stalk,
and cause it to sour
CuTTING--This ma, be done as
soon as the stripping | completed,
but not until the mill anlthe kettles
are all ready, as the cane should be
ground as soon as it is cut, and the
juice boiled as soon as il is EXPRESSED.
Otherwise, the quality of the syrup
made from it will be inferior, aaG it