The Kansas herald of freedom., 1858-10-30
WisceliaQeous.
suga--Mating from sorgho;

SuBA4-nAAA4nb ltoLn oo1bnoI
We published the entire method of su-
gar-making, as practiced and set forth in
a pamphlet last Fall, by j. 8. Lowering,
Of Philadelphia, and we have given, from
time to time, much interesting information
upon the subject, beside calling attention
to the work of Henry s. olcott, which
includes Lovering's pamphlet and all 9TH
er known information, as Published by
Moore of this city, and yet we are beset
with letters of inquiry Of "What should
I do with nay Chinese sugar. cane ? /
have got good crop, but don't know how
to use It. Can you tell me and many
others, through the Tribune, how TO make
sugar, or at least molasses for family use ?"
We will try, upon condition that we
are not asked to repeat the same thing
next year. Reader, if this matter is Of
any interest to you, preserve it. If it is
not Of any interest, then you do not wish
to see cheap sugar and molassss. You
are no friend to the people-you do not
desire great prosperity for the country
As we do, We give the following brief
rules for obtaining what was once q luxu-
~, but now q necessity Of civilization
sugar and syrup for all for their svsry-d day
food.
CUTTING THE cANEs.
When the Sorgho seed Is ripe, is the
best time to cut the canes. Mr.. Lowering
says: .........
!. That 1t is obvious that there is q
eliminating point in the development Of
the sugar in the cane, which is the best
timo for sugar-makiDg. This point or
season / consider to be when most, if not
all, the seeds are ripe, and after several
frosts say when the temperature falls TO
25o or 800 Fahrenheit.
2. That frost, or even hard freezing,
does not injure the juice nor the sugar,
but that warm Indian Summer weather,
after the frost and hard freezing, does in
jure them very materially, and reduces
both quantity and quality.
3. That if the cane Is cut and housed,
OF shocked in the field, in its most favor
able condition, it will probably keep un-
changed for long time.
1t will, however always be advisable
to pursue the same course in Sorgho
sugar making as is pursued in Louisiana,
with the tropical sugar cane-that is, so
far as possible, not to begin cutting caue
until it is exactly right, and to cut only
what can be ground, and the juice boiled
from day to day-the nearer ripe the
better, Mr.. Lowering and others have fully
proved. In fact it has bOen pretty well
proved that even slight freezing does moi
hurt the cane for molasses.
If the season is too short to ripen all
the seed, cut when three -fourths ripe, OF
e<en after hard frost. Strip the leaves
from the standing stalk, and cut off seed
heads. Sever the stalks at the ground,
with one blow of cane knife, an imple.
ment made expressly FOR cane cutting. II
you divide the ripe from the unripe por.
tious, it will facilitate making sugar, as
the juice of the butts of the canes viii
granulste better than that from the tops
II the weather is dry and cool, the canei
will keep sweet some days-some say
TeSks-after being cut but it is bette
to cut and grind each days cutting with
out delay. If cut and left out, they
should be covered with the tops for shade
GRINDING CANES.
The best cane mills are ponderous iror
rollers, some five feet long and thirty
inches in diameter, lying parallel, two a
the bottom and one at the top, touching
both the others, the canes being mashed
oy the fst contact and squeezed dry, o.
IS nearly so as possible, by the second
contact. The canes are fed to the mil
upon long apron or cane carrier, thu
whole driven by powerful steam engine
The next best mill is one of similal
iorm, driven by horses. Then there ar,
upnght mills of two rellers, both Of wooS
and iron, in the South, of various degrees
o. excellence, some Of which do not saw,
half the juice. 'a -9-se Sai
Good, small iron mills, for. horse power
ior grinding the canes Of sorghs, hav'
Oeen built in Philadelphia and Cincin
nsa. Without a good mill, it is Is useless
70 attempt sugar making ss it would b
70 attempt making cider without q mil
% grind the apples. Cider may be mad
" mashing apples hstwsen two stones
sno squeezing out the juioe in any rudI
way and so may syrup be obtained il
1e same rude way from Sorgho, but tn
process will not be q profitable one.
PRESERVING CANE JUICE, AND BOILING.
as general rule, it will take ten cane
% make gallon Of Juice, and, a. soon q
enough has been collecsed in the rsceivinI
" storing tubs for change of the boilinI
Kettles, commence the clarifying process
ana never get great store Of juice ahead
Oecause its tendency 70 acidity Is stIl
s[eater than that Of the sugar maple
which all sugar makers know will no
.anulsts if kept long exposed to the al
before boiling.
40 neuEalize the acidity Of the iuic
Win milk Of lime, small table spoenfu
y tAe gallon Of juice is the 6rss process
tne next step & "a add hlood evys =