Lewistown gazette. [volume] (Lewistown, Pa.) 1843-1944, 1857-11-19
THE CHINESE SUGAR CANE.

surprise one not acquainted with the fact.
THE CHINESE SUGAR CANE
Interesting Experiment and Report.-The |
following report on the cultivation of Sorghum
was read at the late meeting of the Lancaster
County Horticultural Society:-Ldncaster Ez-
GmiSESr.
REPORT on CHIsEsE Sugar Cane: At for
mer meeting Of this Society ii was resolved,
That persons who have adopted few spe
cial ana favorite subjects an sources of recre-
alton and pleasure, be invited to favor the
Society with statenents of their experience"
And it was also resolved, q" That this Society
strongly recommend more extensive Guilt
vation of the Chinese Sugar Cane"
As this plant was one of my special OBJ
jects ofrscreation" the present season, viii,
under the above resolves, state my experience
for the benefit Of such as have not yet given
IL trial.
last winter / took al active part in the dis
semination Of the seed far and wide. sent
packages of il to thirty-one States and Terri
tories, being fully convinced that it 81 was
boon of inestimable value" TO the lchole coun-
try. The applications were so numerous that
my own small lot of seed was soon exhausted.
! made application to our Hberal-minded
member Of Congress, Hon. a E. Roberts, to
procure me a lot from the Patent Office. This
he kindly aud eheerfully did for me twice,
and | thus publicly acknowledge to him my
thanks for the faver to me, and the many re.
elpisnts accommodated through his kindness.
Owing to the many applications for the
seed, had but very small quantity on hand
lless than a pint when planting time came
ca. This | planted on about one fourth of
an acre Of ground, very thin of course, and
On ground which had been in potatoes for
three years previous in succession, and with
out manure Of any kind applied during the
three years, or for the sugar cane After the
cane was up | had about half bushel Of
suPer-phssphate sprinkled along the rows,
without, however, much apparent Benefit The
plct of ground was filed with the seeds Of
weeds TO such an extent that the young cane
was very much smothered, and we had great
ditheulty In saving part of it. After much
hseiag and hard pulling. mere than half the
cane plants were destroyed They made
very feeble growth at first, and so thin and
irregular that ] almost despaired Of producing
anything worth attending to.
The plants being so thin and irregular, 'sws
lefs all grow that would" Of the cane. ow-
ing TO the thin stand, most Of the plants
tillered," throwing up from one to five off
shoots or suckers; these grew as tall as the
main stalks, SO tina. there was at last pretty
fair stand Of plants. The suckers, however.
were late, and did not ripen the seed. aud the
season being late, the danger of frost adnon-
lshed US 70 commence cutting and crushing.
Not knowing Of any crusher made for the
purpose, had one made according to several
plans recommended in the agricultural pub
hcatlonss with three cast iron cylinders, l2
inches long by inches in diameter; this was
attached to horsepower threshing machine
with strap, bat would not work. / then
had it geared with cog wheel, and in this
way, with one or tvs horses, did good work.
In the fore part of the day We would cut
and crush the eane-extraet from 40 to so
gailons-boil down in common copper kettles
IN the after part of the day, to from TO 8
gallons Of thick syrup, such as will pass any
"heTe as No. molasses. The patch Of one
fourth sf an acre produced about 20 gallons
OF very superior syrup, and probably four or
i've bushels Of ripe seed. Full three fsurths
of the seed being unripe it was not saved
From this small experiment csneIuds ~. /,
300 gallons Of syrup, and 40 TO SO. .busbel. of
seed 10 the acre, 10 a fair average. | would
further say to those who may plant il next
year SIS a first experinaent:-Seed being plen-
sy, plant thick in the rows, as early as the
ground is in suitable condition. say about the
first Of May; the rows same distance apart as
Indian corn, and worked in the same manner
thin out to six or eight inches in the rows,
and remove the suckers; it will then all ripen
at the same time, and sufficiently early to
have it cut of the way before hard frosts
MAKE their appearance. It 10 more sure
crop than Indian corn. as ne drouth affects it.
Our summers are sufficiently long to mature