Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1857-12-26
From the Louisville Journsl.1
CHINESE SUGAR CANE.
New York. Nov % ]

New York, Nov. %. 1857.
/ have noticed recently in several pa
Ipefs az article copied from your paper,
headed ''tile China sugar cane a failure"
lquoting Mr. Belcher, of ST. Louis, as an
|tliority therefor. The notoriety that Mr..
Belcher enjoys as being at the head of a
large, if not the largest sugar refinery in
tlhe west, is to outsiders high authority
But from my knowledge Of Mr.. Belcher, [
lam inclined to the belief that there is a
snisconstruction Of his views in the matter.
That so far as this seasons culture of the
cane is concerned, | believe that not much
I~success has been met in the great object
of granulation, but / cannot think that it
was from q lack of saceharine matter IN
Eths Inc, bat from want of experience in
1.-THE management of it. OF the many
samples of molasses or syrup that | have
examined, | have seen zone where the
proper consistency has been obtained but
what will keep in any cline and for any
length of time, all of them having less
free acid than the best grades of Cuba
Iotfered in this country. It's first friends
never claimed for it all the qualities re-
Iquirod for the perfect manufacture Of SUI
lear, but ! believe that the coming year,
when there will be so much experience adj
idel TO that of the past, sugar will be male
from it, a2d that of good quality. Its
growth this year was far out Of the region
where Q and molasses are usually rails
ed; consequently, what has been done
was done by 'main strength and iguor-
lance" Coming, as you and | both did.
from tho colder regions Of the sugar maple
in the north, you will endorse how futile
were the attempts Of he new beginner to
make sugar I'LL taught by the hand Of ex-
Iperience. That sugar has been made ibis
season from the cane will be vouched for
by many, BAT in quantities that were small
and not sufficient for exhibition.
I anticipate That next year there will not
he less than 100000 of acres of the . n
planted, well distributed over the whole
United States, when we may rely upon
having the merits of the plant fully tested,
and bcspeak for it the most astonishing re-
suits in more ways thon one. The Stats
ltics for the present year are SO disconnected
that nothing reliable can as yet be gained
from them. But this much | will give my
experience, and what ! hope for it in the
future.
Tha. planted in April in rows three feet
iapart, cultivated same as corn, will mature
early in September fit for grinding; and if
the land has any strength, 800 or 400 gal
Ions Of syrup can be produced from the
acre, besides 5000 pounes of fodder, and
from SO TO rs bushels Of seed. The qnal-
ity Of the fodder is far superior to cora,
and most probably equal to timothy. OF
the seed much is expected, and no doubt
lit will be realized, as food for both man
and beast-as the amount of gluen it
contains is large. The amount of seed
raised this year will all be planted in the
spring.
No experience will be given as to its
lis qualities. A large ma ter examining
it gives it clearlr as his opinion that the
seed will be used for mailing purposes:-
Others predic. that it will be extensively
used for the distillation of alcohcl-both
seed and juice. While the hearts of prin-
tiers will be gIaddened with the assurance
that paper Of good quality for newspapers
and other purposes can readily be made
from the refuse after crushing the stock,
the farmers from Maine 10 Oregon will find
in the most valuable adjunct to his general
crop that he has ever planted.
especially, w. II. Buck.