Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1857-01-31
LEGISLATIVE AGRICULTURAL soC1
ETY.,
DISCUSSION ON THE CHINESE SUGAR CANE.

Those gentlemen-memDers OF Inc Deglsld-
Unbelievable TO the scheme Of re-establishing
the Legislative Agricultural Society, met in
the Representatives Hall, last night, at
o'clock, at which hour only half dozen we're
present. The meeting was called TO order at
30 minutes past I, by Hon. John Brooks Of
Princeton. He considered it proper that an
organization should take place, and that com
mit,ees on organization and on subjects of dis
cusson should be appointed, as was usual
| About 40 members were then present.
Mr.. Slebbins Of Deerfeld nominated Hon.
John Brooks of Princeton, for chairman, pro
tenn, and put the question, when that gentle
man was elected. Messrs. w. G.. Buckmin-
sier, of the Mass Pioughmdn, and Aaroh
Dickinson of Heath were appointed Secretaries.
A committee to nominate n Chairman for the
evening, and an Executive Committee, TO act
during the whole session, consisted of Messrs.
! Hyde Of Newton, Stebbns Of Deerheld, and
Parsons Of Ludlow, and reported as follows -
For Chairman-llon. John Brooks. For
Executive Commilee-John Brooks of Prince
ton, Moses Slebbns Of Deerfeld, Charles l..
Flint Of Boston, Asa G. Sheldon of Whining
ton, and Stephen p. Collin of Longmeadow.
Mr.. Brooks made a brief congraiulatory ad-
dress on taking the chair on the thriving state
of the farming interest generally. Within the
State, within the last ten years, the increase
of agricultural productions had risen from
tweniy-six TO sixty-threc millions in Value
With proper care this increase could yet be
doubled, and the resources Of the soil not yet
all called into request. He invited gentlemen
TO state their agricultural experience, and spec
tally called on Mr.. Hyde of Newton, to relate
what he had in culiivaling The Chinese sugar
cane.
Mr.. Hyde, after glancing at the morus null
Hca,iHS and other agricultural bubbles, said he
entered on the cultivation Of the Chinese sugar
cane with much doubt as 10 lis ultimate bene-
fits These he had tested and could speak
, from experience. As forage crop he consid
cred it superior to anything known in this por-
, iion of the country. 1t has the advantage Of
) many other plants in lis production Of two
crops per annum-the last rot a full one, but
a very liberal one. Ii would grow 10 or A
5 feet in height in July, and be again ready IL
9 cut in October. For soilng purposes nothing
r could be more generally valuable, as horses,
cows and pigs, were alike fond of il, and Sc
c lccied it always in preference TO any other food
e that could be placed before them. Ii was ca
n silly cured, and could be as easily preserved
4 over winter as any common forage cIop-al-
though it grew to the height Of ten to fifteen
, feet. 1t was very hardy; and while other
] crops would wilt beneath a strong sun, it stood
= up fresh and inicy. 1t did not produce nice
/ looking fodder but if cut into pieces, cattle
T would eat it with avldity Some cattle would
e seize upon a long, rough stalk, and chew it Sc
T long as they could feel the taste of the saccha,
r rine matter in it. In order that it should con.
e stiiute good fodder, the cane should be cut be-
S fore il seeded II planted in drills, | IL lbs
n of seed to an acre, and the stalks 10 inches
a apart, it would not grow too rank. Care
S should be taken not 10 plant the seed too deep,
, or make the hills too close,
J., Mr.. Hyde had tried the cane for sugar. and
c had found it to yield one-fflh of lis weight II
= syrup, much better than that which came iron
i the Sonill-ol better quality and heavier. Iii,
experiments showed him that syrup could bt
= produced at the rate of % cents per gallon, OF
y land like that in Newton. A portion OF III,
syrup was not crystaIizable, and this was helt
h as an objection to it but while the fact was so
n it was also true that the Chinese cane woult
produce COED brown sugar. lie was deter
mined to give the production OF sugar fa
trial, and had confidence of his being success
ful; and one of his proposed plans was to Gu
off the seed pancles before they began to ripen
and he had little doubt that by this process ht
would save 4 considerable amount Of saccharint
n matter. If planted in the middle of May, III,
I'd cane would be ready 10 cut about the mdGI,
}; of September. While he would not adyis,
RS any one TO 60 into an eXtravagant system o
E. cultivation, he would advise all farmers 10 tr,
it in their gardens and their fields, and one iri
T. al would go further to convince them of tn,
g value of the sugar cane than any advice what
10 ever.
ie Several gentlemen made inquiry of Mr. IIyd,
,r respecting the method of the cultivation of III,
'g cane. He advised that it be hied like corn
ut when ii was intended to use the cane for sugar
I, and drill it in rows when intended for fodder
ly a dry soil was the most favorable for its pro
er duction. He thought it might be an exhaust,
he ing crop; and that it would not be hurt BY be
ing planted on good soil. 1t stood heat, as h,
lr said before, and also able to bear up aeans
II frost. The seed he had used was got from the
n Patent Office, and came from France, whenc,
&c the best seed came. 1t was had original,
- from China. Tie pure seed was of blacl
y color lat least such as he considered pure) -
~ There was quantity to be had of Col Peters
st of Atalana Ga, and this was pure but i
ST might be that seeds from Paris, wheenc the res
= came might not be genuine. The price wa.
10 about 81 per pound and the charge of So PEI
pound, made in this city, was suggested b,
l. certain parties who wanted 10 combine aqains
SIS purchasers. Seed, he thought, could be grown
!, for shilling per pound, But with all thes,
n facts, he advised the greatest caution in max
d. ing experiments and in drawing conclusions.
I'd Several gentlemen made observations on The
10 subject of conversation, only one of whom, il
II any shape, controverled the statements made h,
ID Mr.. Hyde. That was with reference to il,
1t superiority as a forage plant. The party il
II question said he has seen as heavy forage
crop of Indian corn as of Chinese cane. Ii,
l. sustained Mr.. Hyde's statements in other re
IS speeds, and added TO them the fact that alie
a the Juice was expressed from the cane its Fl