The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1858-02-20

Prem the New York Journai Of Commerce.
A Word of Caution tn FaImeTs.sThe Su.
gar Cane.

Word of Caution tn farmeTs.sThe Su.
gar Cane.
The introduction of the Chinese Sugar
Cane into this country, and the extraordi-
rary expectations which have been enter
tanned in some quarters, relative to its val
ue for the various uses to which II has been
thought adapted, have led to It's cultivation
il the last season TO a much larger extent
than the W. previous, and enabled expert
IN nts o G ua.e on u larger scale than in
previous > ons since its Introduction
Had these experiments all resulted IN sue
cess or failure, IT would be easy to deter
mire upon the policy Of COLT nuing or aban-
GonIng Is culture for the frture-
Befo proceeding to consider the tes:lino-
ny which the experiments with the Sorghum
furnish for or agaInstlts crltIyat'on az gu
gar producing plant, we nay remark that
too much consequence can bardiy NC gwen
10 the introduction of new articles oil pro-
ductiou. calcul1ted to render our country IN
depcudent of others for articles Of necessity
or luxury. and that the ability, chcapiy, and
econnomicaIly, To produce our own sugar,
and especially to 90 this in all parts Of the
Union. would be desideratum of great val
Tie to the productive interests Of the coun-
try. IL Is therefore natural that our farm
ers. and indeed all classes Of people, should
look upon the experiment with this plant
with deep sOliCitude and be DESTROYS ofcon-
tributing, as far Is possible, to its complete
success.
Thousands of acres of the Chinese sugar
cane were planted LAST spring, the ezPeri-
ment having been under taken by great
number OF cultivatoTs, throu yhout the entire
Uniou, so that all soils, and every variety OF
climate through which the country extends
were brought into requisitlOn- The trials
were made by scientific m. thoroughly
competent for making careful experiments,
and by practical farmers Of every grade of
intelligence, and under a great variety Of
circumstances, calculated TO test the ques-
ton fairly and imPartially. The crushing
process, and the manufacture Of the syrhp
and sugar, SO far as sugar has been made,
have employed in some instances, the rudest
machindry and the simplest process, and in
others, all the facilities known TO experience
ed manufacturers IN the sugar growing
States.
With these experiments, and the desire
in the public mind to ascertain the adapta-
bility of this new production to our soil and
our circumstances, il was expected, the Peo-
pie had reason TO expect, that the question
would this year be fairly determined, so
that farmers from al parts of the country
prie,y of engaging in its cultivation, either
ON a large scale, or, simply, as 4 man of our
acquaintance carried on the manufacture ct
whi,key, for his own use" Thousand Of
cases, perhaps, have been reported, either
in the papers, OF IN agricultural meetings
and dissionS, but We regret to say that 80
far as our observation extends, aid we have
no. been Inattentiye observers OF the results,
III ere Is not that un. iormity, either Of success
or failure, which justifICs the farmer Of the
country in engaging on large scale in ITS
cultivation, or, on the other hand, which
sh I'D lead to its abandonment without fur
tler tria'. The experiments have indeed
resulted III 4 manner Singularly Unlike, and
q most remarkable disagreement seems to
exist among those engaged in them, on Sc
vera! points connected with the cultivation
and nature Of the plant, aud the practical
biity of making sugar from 1t when grown.
That the plant can be grown successfully,
as to quantity, in nearly all sections of the
Union, has, we think, 5,en demonstrated.
That It's juice, when properly oppressed, is
eIsiIy converted into syrup, is not suscepti-
bic of doubt That il has made sugar, in a
few instances, is pretty we'll authenticated.
That the stalks are Of some value, for fodder
for cattle, can scarcely be doubted. these
are facts about which there need be ne fur
ther dispute. Bat the questions which the
farmers Of the country wish to have settled
are: lst- viii the cane make good syrup,
2d. Can this syrup. by proper process, be
converted into Jo0d sugar? Sd. Is the fod-
der suitable for, and readily eaten by cattle
and other animals on the farm and is it
a profitable and valuable article for that
purpose? fth. IN view Of all the facts, is
its cultivation fer market or for family use,
profitable:
When these questions are satisfactorily
answered, IL WILL be time to determine upon
the propriety or IMPROPERLY of entering
largely into the culture Of the Chinese sugar
cane in this country. L htil that per cd ar
riyeS, we deem il matter Of common pru-
dence to confine experiments to narrow lin
its, and especially would we caution farmers
against any large expenditure for machinery
and facilities for the manufacture of syrup
or sugar. We are quite aware that there
are many persons, who from their own ex-
perence, or that of others within their
knowledge, regard the question as already
placed beyond doubt. They show us tie
syrup, which they say is palateable; they
show US sugar which looks end tastes well;
they show Us that their cattle, horses and
hogs deyour the plant with great avidity
and grow fat ON it and lastly they show his
paper made from the residuun, after the
Juice has been extracted. In view of all
these facts they ask us to consider the Chi
nese sugar cane as entitled to rank among
the most va aable OF all our productions,
and recommend to farmers its cultivation On
large scale.
This is all very fine, il there was no COR
;lictine testimony. But we find on the 9th
CT side, men who tell US that their animals
Will not touch it, that while it will make
syrup, IL is not ft 10 cat Or to use in any
form, that it viii not make sugar at al, or
at any rate, to any great extent, and finally
that the whole process costs more than it is
worth, and the whole experience of it is
failure. Under these circumstances, it seems
to US the part of wisdom for the present, to
consider the Iuesti n as one not determined
sufficiently to commend the full confidence
of the public, and especially for farmers to
accept with caution the conclusions to which
sanguine experimcntors have Arrived, and
are so jealous in proinalgating-
'sThe Return of the Boye.''
The shrieks of terror and the groans Of
death had died away Silence came down