Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1858-04-22
9epartment,
CHINESE q CANE.

a conviction of the great Importance OF TINS
addition to our agricultural resources. line
| following, which we find in the last number
of the Cotton Planter, Isl very practical and
Ineligible statement, of its successful mode
and treatment, and may be ofservice tosuch OF
our readers as are interested in its cultiva.
ton charleston Mercury.
CHINESE SUGAR MILLET.
DIR. CLoUD.-Dear Sir: 1t is almost
useless now to say anything more about this
plant, in regard to its qualities for yielding
syrup and sugar, besides several other ar
ticles. 1t has now been fairly tried all over
the South and thought may not have come
up to so great a yield of syrup as was claim
ed for it, still it stood its trial gloriously.
The "Sugar Millet" must unquestionably
form an epoch in the farming of the South
ern States. The sugar growing section,
hitherto not extending much north of the
latitude of New Orleans, has now been en-
larged with several degrees further towards
the North. The possibility for every planter
of making his own syrup is certainly a mat
ter of great Importance. 1t is truly anus.
ing, that some persons are still so far 'behind
time as to consider this plant identical with
the old fashioned Chicken Corn Why,
the mere chewing of a piece of the stalk
would be sufficient to convince even Zach.
Boss of the great difference.
But, on the other hand, its value as a for
age plant ought not to be overlooked for, as
such, it is unquestionably inferior to none'
Many a person will perhaps think that l am
praising it too highly, but I feel confident
that this plant is not yet appreciated half as
much as it deserves.
In cutting it for syrup, a great fault is
committed in cutting itbefore it is thorough,
ly matured. By all means let the seed be
dead-ripe before the cane is cut for the mill.
By cutting it before that period, you will
get a larger quantity Of juice, but it will be
watery, require more boiling, shrink more,
and make an inferior syrup. There is nc
necessity for nor advantage in stripping oh
the leaves, or pinching off the seed-panicles
before the seed is thoroughly ripe. This
operation would only cause the stem to throw
out suckers, which would be an injury to the
cane.
In boiling the juice it is of great impor'
lance to strain it well, and to have the kettle
we'll filled. The whole mass will simmer
much better than if the boiler is only half
full, and not be so apt to boil over. 1t
should not be stirred at all, until a thick
brownish crust has gathered over the whole
surface, when this crust should be removed,
and the liquid strained into the second boiler,
and so on, until it gets its proper consis'
tcncy.
The question has been made: How to
Keep the canes until FallT In reply |
would say, that there is no difficulty in it.
Any barn. or any shed will answer; let the
canes be thoroughly matured and place them
on the ground floor in a layer, say IL to Is
inches thick. Put another layer of canes of
similar thickness on the top of the first, but
cross-uay, and so on. Cover the whole pile 4;
the best material for it is baggasse, or refuse
canes which have passed through the mill.
In this way the canes will keep a very long
time in excellent condition, and when taken
out for grinding, it will be found that many
of the watery parts have evaporated, but
that the Juice is much richer, and will yield
a very superior article of syrup. When it
will require about seven gallons of juice from
fresh canes to produce a gallon of good
syrup, that same quantity, and Of quality,
can be made from four to five gallons of
juice pressed from canes which have been
presesved in this way for some weeks.
The saccharine principle will not evapor-
ate; on the contrary, the cane seems to i'm
prove in favor by being put up in this way
for some time ; similar to the process which
appels are undergoing by being kept for
some time I will now say a few words about
the Sugar Millet, as a forage plant. The
saving of corn is a most important matter,
particularly when prices are so high, as has
now been the case for several years.
WIN planted early in April, and on
good, high, sandy land, this millet will, by
the beginning of July, have matured its
canes %suficie. .ly to serve as a substitute for
corn in feeding stock. The nutritious quail
of the Sugar Cane are too well known to need
any explanation. Even before the seed is
perfectly ripe, the canes can be cut for this
purpose. Let the whole, stalks, leaves and
seed, be crt up in a common straw cutter,
allowing ten or twelve good strong stalks to
each working animal per twenty-fo four hours.
Two common hands can easily, in fifteen
minutes, cut up stalks enough for twenty
heads, and if a few handfuls of bran are
scattered over the pile of cut forage as a fla
voring, so much the better. Working ami
mails fed in this way, without any corn what
ever, will not only keep in good condition,
but will actually improve.
Let every planter calculate for himself,
how much corn he can save by feeding his
stock for four months on the Sugar Millet
q crop so easily raised, and which stands our
droughts so we'll, as to deserve to be termed
neverJaIing.
Besides, the roots will sprout out again
vigorously, and in a few weeks produce a
second crop. Planting the seed in drills two
by three feet, thirty thousand stalks are but
a very fair average yield, and thus the plan
fer can easilv calculate the number of acres