The Council Bluffs nonpareil. [volume] (Council Bluffs [Iowa]) 1857-1867, 1857-10-24


as these remedies are steadily employed"
! For the Council Bluffs Nonparcil.
Mr.. EDIroR:-l will now make good my
promise to give You in brief, my experience
, in the culture of the Sorghum Saccharatum
or Chinese Sugar Cane.
PLANTING.
Ny FIRST planting, was May sth-weather
cold, and cold rains and sleet frequent. A
few days after planting, the ground frozc to
considerable depth. The weather becom-
ing fine, watched anxiously for the ap-
pcarance of the young plants. Twelve days
having elapsed, began to fear that the
seeds had been injured by the severe cold,
wet and frost. examined the drills and
found them all right. In sixteen days from
the time of planting they began to appear.
planted the second time on the Goth, and
in fourteen days the plants were up.
METHOD OF PLANTING.
Iplanted my seed differently for expert
mcnt. In some drills one seed every twelve
inches, the drills being two and half feet
aparts In others, about four seeds to the
foot, or three inches apart. The remainder
in hills about three in a hill. Those drop
ped in hills, q foot apart, have done decided
| ly the best. There are several stocks from
one seed.
The second week in August, tested the
cane. The seed had not yet appeared. Tho
juice was sweet, but the syrup had n woody
taste, but quite sweet. On the Goth of the
same month, the seed heads being out and in
their milky state, another experiment result
ed in syrup much swecter and frcer from the
woody taste. In September, just as the
seed was turning, another experiment prov
cd the syrup quite free from the woody taste
and Of excellent quality.
QUANTITY OF SEED TO THE ACRE.
For Sugar or Molasscs, about a quart
will be sufficient.
QUANTITY OF SYRUP TO THE ACRE.
From my own rude construction for OK
pressing the juice, am able to give but
very imperfect opinion. Some idea howcv-
err, can be formed from the fact. as found
it that the Syrup is as one to three, i. e.,
three gallons of juice will yield one of Mo-
lasscs. The stalks will average about half
pint Of juice.
IMPORTANCE OF THE CRoP TO FARMERS.
Every farmer has now the opportunity to
furnish for his own use, a most important
article. From twenty to forty dollars is the
expense Of machine which will press from
100 to $50 gallons of juice per day, from
which, from IS to so gallons of good Mo-
lasses can be made.
Again, every farmer should plant an acre
or more for fodder, for experiment. When
it is about four feet high, cut it and cure it,
then stack it. In the fall, it will have made
a second crop from the same stalks, equal
to the FIRST, which treated in like manner,
an acre will be found to produce IN incredi-
BILE amount of superior feed for horses and
cattle. They will eat it clean, leaving no
stalks to be removed or to litter yard or
stable.
Again, this crop interferes with no other.
1t should be planted several days earlier
than field corn, and is out of the way and
the Molasscs (may beg in the cell before
corn-euttins. .s .- ri
Imust not omit stating, that, notwithstand-
ing the past season some crops have been
entirely destroyed by innumerable bugs and
grasshoppers, nothing has, from first to
last, in any way injured the Sugar Came
This is remarkable, and state it, only to
certify what has been my experience, and
should it hereafter prove bug proof, it will
be worth considerable to farmer to know
that he has at least one crop which the bugs
will not destroy. w..
l hope that your remarks will call forth
responses from Merchants. 1t seems to me,
that, when they are so much interested, they
will act. The small profit which they real
ize upon their sugars, is not enough to com.
pensatc them for the outlay Of time and
money, to say nothing Of loss by spelling
and retailing. When they agree, an arrange
mcnt could soon be effected for supplying
them with all that they need another year,
which, while it would be fur more remuner-
alive, would be free from vcrmin and 9Th.
for it is well-known fact, that the coarscr
sugars abound in ycrmin or a species Of lice,
and Molasses in its composition is exceed
ingly dubious.
Twill now leave this subject in your hands,
wishing you may be the means of awakening
public interest to the acting point.
Yours, respectfully,