The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1858-01-23
est cane, and No. 4, the richest ground, the
poorest cane.
JOHN G. DEpU.

Z. ST. have so far experimental Win
Sorgho as to produce distinct and perfect
CRYSTALS of sugar in color and general ap-
pearance equal to that of the best CUBAN
My experience and general knowledge OF the
plant goes to prove beyond doubt, that an
excellent article of sugar will in short time
be produced which will vie with the best
Southern productions. In my trial select
ed such cane as was perfectly round stalks,
green and seed ripe | cut OIL the tops and
used four or five Joints of the butt, owing to
size. adding three table spoons full of cream
to every six gallons fjuice. clarified with
the whole of an egg and half-a-gill of new
milk. strained through two thicknesses of
flannel set it away, from o'clock in the
evening, using the milk and egg the second
time. and then boiled rapidly until thick
enough put away six pounds Of syrup in
a pan, stirring in it about one-fourth of
pound of good New Orleans suga.. It, gran
ulated in about three or four weeks. | OBJ
tanned, after straining, about three pounds of
sugar. the balance is as good sugar molasses
as is obtained in the Southern market. am
under the impression, that if not disturbed |
| would have obtained more sugar. After drip
ping | took the molasses and set it again,
Dul WltuOul luTlItT utNCiOI'iiiCItS' III SOA-
clusion, have proved to my own satisfaction,
that the Sorgho justifes the high expecta-
tions entertained Of it by its most sanguine
friends. j. y. u.
Brutus G. Clay, of Paris KY, thus writes
in regard to the other variety of cane called
Imphee and contrasts its growth and pro-
duct with the Sorgho
III Al zl1oo f1o Now
broke the ground twice, and planted fully
three by four feet apart, putting two and
three seeds in hill. About three-fourths
grew; hence it was rather thin upon the
ground. 1t did not all mature before frosts-
the middle of October. l think the average
growth of stalks was no more than eight feet
| Thev were, however, one-third larger than
the Sorgho, and contained much more juice,
| of quality very similar to that of the latter.
1t stands up well, being large at the bottom
and tapering to the top, and is not liable to
be blown down by the wind"
1.-The Sorgho, planted about the 18th of
May 1t came up well, and presented stalks
small and slender, ten to twelve feet high,
very liable to fall and be blown down by the
wind. Both this and the Imphee require a
little more care and attention than corn (; are
longer starting and more delicate, and require
more labor in cultivating.'
'Of the two varieties of cane, | think the
lmphce will prove the most valuable plant.
If planted early upon good soil with a south
ern exposure. l think it will ripen before
frosts. The past season has been bad one
for fair experiment. Even our corn is not
yet dry enough to grind for bread"
Wm E. White Of Aurora, Dearborn Co.,
Indiana, gives his experience of the Sorgum
especially .toruge plant:
"As forage plant, it is invaluable to the
| farmer Horses eat it with avidity, both
stalk and seed, whether green or dry, and as
yetwith two months experience, have found
no evil effects from it, save my horses have
become sleek and frisky under its free use.
For hogs, know of no esculent its equal
Before corn is in a state for profitable feed
ing the clover pasture has been rcsOrted to
by most good farmers to give their hogs
good start in the fall this is well, but be-
lieve that in ten acres of Sorgho, fed green at-
ter the seed has formed, is better til n twen-
ty-iive of clover and for mich cows, | am
satisfied that nothing has yet been found to
eXcelit. In the fall our pastures are gene
rally close, and the grass in great measure
deprived Of its nutritve qualities hence,
our COWS soon fail to give us even fair yield
of milk or butter. A resort to the cane will
soon put all things right. Fed rough, or cut
up, it very soon produces a change, -the res
ult is a more abundant supply of milk cream
and butter and the latter equal to that OF
May, either from the Western Reserve or
New York"
ats seed, am satisfied is of great value
for food, either for "man or BEAST" and its
yield being about % bushels per acre, will
90 far toward the expense of cultivation, and,
| believe, will produce flour as nutrtive
and healthy as the best Pennsylvania Buck
wheat, and in quantity fully equal to it.
The resnlt of our experiments in this county
have been so favorable that it is now believed
that one thousand acres Of land will be ap-
proprated within this county alone, the COM
ing year to its cultivation"
A Report was made from the Mechanical
Committee touching the mode of expressing
the Juice of the cane We make an ex-
tract
"They would state it as their opinion that
an approved machine should be made Of
three smooth cast iron rollers, which may be
placed horizontally or vertically, and moved
with slow motion, not exceeding sixteen
feet minute, but whether it is preferable to
use steam or horse power, or what particular
mill should be used, this committee does not
feel prepared to decide"
The report however was not adopted; but
the whole question was referred back to the
people at large, in the hope that inventive
genius would be stimulated to devise better
machines than any now known.
The report cf the Agricultural Commit
tee was then introduced, embodyng num-
Der of awards and opinions some of which
we copy:
! Your committee would report as follows ::
Mr. ID. L. Nichols, of Logan County, shows
sugar from Chinese cane, mixed with molas-
ses, having very gummy appearance, fine
grained syrup boiled on the 9th of October
Some portions boiled more thoroughly, pro-
duced sugar as above stated, after steamng
three or four days.
j. Ii. Smith, Of Adams Co., shows speci-
men of syrup boiled thick and crystalized
almost in mass crystals are destitute of
rhumbic under the microscope.
Specimens exhibited by Mr.. Pearsons, of
Springfield syrup very fair color and flavor;
ripe cane, made in a copper kettle, clarified
with milk and eggs no alkai used; does
not believe it necessary. Second specimen,
boiled thick showed fair crystals after stan
ding six hours. Small specimen clarified with
blood, considered rather preferable.
Specimen of several gallons by c. G. Tay-
lor, of Rock Island county color dark and
shows evidence of too much lime unpleas-
ant, bitter taste.
Specimen of new rum made by Ingra &
Son, of Cincinnati, Ohio, color entirely clear +;
favor good, lacks age yield one gallon from
eight of cane juice of which fair average is