The true Democrat., 1857-03-31
sorgho Sucre, or Chinese Sugar Cane Seed

oe"O Sucre' or Chinese Sugar Cane Seed.
 we have, says the St. Louis Intelligencer been favored with letter from Thomas Affleck. Esq, of Mississippi, to sugar planter. on seeking information relative to the newly in- troduced Sorgho Sucre:
 The "Chinese Sugar Cane," so called (Sor. ghum Sacchartum,) the Sorgho Sucre," of the French, do verily believe will prove to be all that Is claimed for it. I have studied it closely, and watched the results of the various experiments made, from it's first introduction to France to this time.
 That It may possibly "supplant our sugar cane" cannot pretend to say; vet such a re- suit would not be at all surprising. Nor can I see why you should feel alarmed at the pros. pect; on the contrary, as you fear ca decided short crop Of cane, not only on vour own plan- tation, but generally in Louisiana, sbouId say SOW all of the seed of this new plant that von can find time or land for, and test it thorouohlv II Providence has sent a perfectly hardy annual, exceedingly rich in sugar, to take the place of the very uncertain "cane," by all means let us accept of the boon. You have "the land, the hands trained to the work, the buildings and machinery sufficient for double the crop you are likely to make from the cane now Tn the ground" why then not try this plant! You cannot lose much by it, as it yields most valuable article of fodder, and may. and thlnk must gain very greatly by it in the re- SuitS or your sugar crop. Even if 1t proves to be all that It's admirers claim for it wherever the maize reaches its highest perfection the sorghum will assuredly yield more sugar with you than further North besides attaining a vastly larger growth. These facts, together with your supply of machinery perfectly adapt ed to the purpose, and your thorough knowl- edge of sugar making, must give your sugar growers of Louisiana a vast advantage over the farmers of the West. Many will there and elsewhere make their own supply of sugar, and perhaps something more, as they now do from the maple tree; but doubt if it be largely car red on as busness for many years if ever
 Have we anything to fear from this borer introduced to us, 1. fear, in the cane brought by the Release?'
 lshould say you have much to fear. It should be closely watched. And even if all are de- stroyed except single pair ofthe parent insect upon any one plantation, there is danger to the State; such pests increase and spread with most extraordinary rapidity. They the pa rents, are no doubt winged; and though not ac- quainted with it, l should suppose from the habit of the worm, that the parents were hard shelled bugs, (coleoptera,) and thence the more like y to be hardy enough for your climate.
 The "Discourse?" Well; had my doubts The tremendous pufa of certain dealers in the forth looked too much like the na0,us asul. | t'ca'ais movement! got few tubers from Nllaudra two years ago. But they were small and very weak, and arrived in bad order; so that had to nurse them through nearly all of | baIr Hret G IL however, when planted out; stood last winter | ; and gave wonderful yield of seed | tubers. The roots themselves grew to about the size of mans arm, and at least twenty inches long on my yellow cav.hills. l had | piece of one cooked, the other day, baked in the oven like yam or sweet potato. A little fellow at my elbow remarked, "Pa, it smells good. " The gudc-wife took it up looking at me with somewhat quizzical smie-Gnowing that l had doubtS-and asked, with move ment towards breaking it in two are you pre- pared?" l nodded and the result was the laying open to sight the most beautiful white tarlna-cocus mass imaginable. All liked it. l | assure you that the mealiest, finest favored | Irish potato does not surpass, if equal it.
 let this tuber never can suppant the sweet potato with us here. Nor do believe it will ever be very largely cultivated as a crop U The greatest boon ever offered by God to man," Prince says. But that Is all JLtque It runs too far into the ground; and is nance too troublesome to dig-is the chief objection to it. Yet, it is very valuable addition to ouI succulents.
 The fact that it continues to grow forsvereral years, the same Aber enlmging and becoming more nutritious with each years growth, and | its perfect hardness, are great recommenda- i tlons shall plant every tnber have, and | let them stand untouched, until season of failure in the other tubers we grow; and have then III the dioscorca, valuable resource.
 But must close. At this busy season, 1t is | only by stealing an hour from sleep that one finds time for writing. 1 shall be pleased to learn what you do in the way of planting the | Chinese sugar cane, and the results in their sea- son. Yours, very truly,
 THOS. AFFLECK