Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1857-02-07
A & X L i / I i X A l. .
CULTIVATION OF THE CHINESE sU.
GAR CANE

CULTlV ATlUN UE The CHINESE SU-
GAR CANE.
The cultivation Of the Sorghum, or Chinese
sugar plant, has thus far proved 50 decidedly
successful in this country, not only in the South,
where il seems tn have been demonstrated tina,
two crops or cuttings Of sugar-bearing stalks
can be obtained in ono season from the same
roots of that years planting, but even so far
north as Minnesota, where il is testified that
good syrup was made in 1856 from stalks hard
~ hundred days from the seed, tina, we arc
impeled TO urge upon our farmers and garden.
ers the importance Of early attention To the pro.
'cuiing OF seed and planting for the season just
ibefDre us. Let us all grow the seed this wear
81 that il can never mUre be So scarce that spec-
ulaiors may run il up 10 an exorbilant price
y great deal remains 10 be settled with regard
%pghls plant, especially the best mode Of con-
ver'ing lis saccharine properties into crysialized
Sugar: and ii is highly probable that better va.
rieties Of il will ultimately he discovered, at
least for certain localities, than that now cur
rent in this Country. For the present, howev-
er, IL is advisable TO continue aud extend the
cultivation Of that which is accessible, and thus
test the effect of acclimalion on the character
of the plant and the sweetness Of lis Juices.
We suspec, that for Louisiana, Florida and
Texas, the Sorghun of Southern Africa will
ultimately be found preferable To that obtained
from France by our Patent Office, and from
China by France. If it prove true that this
plant, or certain varieties Of it, can be grown
from year to year in semi-ropical laiiludes from
the same root, as the cane is grown in the West
hndies, and that two or more crops Of sugar
yielding stalks may be cut from that root each
season, then there can be lille doubt that our
Southern States are destined still TO lead the
North in the production of Sugar For the
,present, however, it suifices that the Surehum
mag be grown wherever Indian Corn will usu-
ally ripen-that its abundant juice makes a very
pheasant syrup or molasses, 10 which i, is east
ly reduced by boiling away four.fiih Of il in
the ordinary way of sugar-making from the sap
'oi the maple-and that the leaves and stalks,
whether green or dry, of the Sorghum make
an admirable fodder for cattle, horses or hogs,
while the seeds are eaten with avidiiy by fowls
also. 10 justify The general interest evinced in
E's cultivation. We propose, therefore, 10 con-
dense into the smallest space some practical d.
reclons to the prospective cultiva,or-as fol.
lows:
/. Sscd.-lf there be a seed store within your
reach, your easiest way is to send and buy " hat
seed you want. In planting 10 raise seed (,he
first years object), pound will suffice for an
acre; and this ought not To cost more than a
dollar. But beware Of inposiors and swind.
lers, for bushels of broom corn and kindred seeds
will be palmed of as that of Sorghum Where
you cann"t readily obtain seed in this way,
write 10 your Member of Congress asking hin,
To send You paper, and he will generally he
able To do So. Ii not, the Secretary of your
State Agricultural Society may be able to sup.
Pts you.
.. P'dnhns.-Choosc a warm, mellow soil,
such as You would confidently expect To grow
a, least fifty bushels Of Indian Corn To the acre.
Flow early, pillow deep and thoroughly. Plant
as early as you coud venture TO plant corn. II
you have u hot.hcd, start lille seed in one cor.
ner OF IT, II yam plant considerably, put in
your seed at different lmes--say, in this lati.
tnde, one-quarler each IN the LIST. 10th and 2Oih
nf May aud fist Of June respectively. Plant
Nor secd) IN hills, six seeds 10 the hill, and at
distances Of four feet each way Try some five
feet apart east and wes $50 as to LEI in the sun
between the rows), aud some in drlls-say four
I" I'VE ieeI apart east and west, with the seeds
SIX inches apart in the drill. aud thin the plants
4" one foot apart. II you. have seed in abund-
lhce' sow little in drills iva feel apart, the
The seeds IN the drill but two or three inches
apart. Cover lightly, as the seed rols if coy
cred deeply. Keep the hens AT little distance
or ii will come up too soon.
3. IWdgc. Sorghum comes IN look.
Tag very puny-much like broonl-corn or barn.
grass. II you Sc, biockhead to weed il. he
@a' probably pull it up aud report tina, il new
e. se'mi'ated. Cultivate like Indian Corn-
amy faithfully. II suckers start, majority say
p'nei' Them ot pull them ol-lhal is, in grow.
ing Tor seed. This need not be done in orov-
ing Tor sugar.
T. HTpeS"ng Whenever the seed shall be
-"a,d anu "aeN' cut "ir the upper par, of the
s'a'ks' say three Feel long, and ham, ,hem M
like hroom-corn, in a dry chamh., s.,s,,,,.',.,,
from the ceiling, 81 as to be on, or ,,,, ,.'.'"r
fa'S' @c' Now cut up y"ur stalks, null afr tho
leaves, and satisfy yourself tina, all mauns, IS
stock will eat them; cut up a few of the ,,,,t.
as you would corn'sialks. and Try like exp.r.
iment with ,lrem: and put the stalks THROUGH
any Kind Vt crushing-mil that may DO handy
id cder-mil would he better than nothing
catch the juice and instantly warm il over a
slow FIRE in large kettle, skimrnng off the
scum So long as any shall rise. Then boil the