The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1860-02-03

w "'6A 6Aoonu IuC TOSl Will uOl NIL tuc
cane as soon as on low ground. The best
ever raised was on high piece of ground,
too poor for corn. Frost sometimes comes
month sooner on low ground. The top
and leaves of sorghum make excellent fod-
der, and will pay for the expense of taking
them off: AS soon as the cane is large
enough we feed to hogs, and continue to
feed them on it for nearly two months.
They are very fond of it, and large num-
Der may be fed from an acre. 1t is very
valuable for this purpose, as very few have
corn to feed their hogs. from, say, the mid
die of August until husking. To fatten
hogs of course some corn must be fed late in
the season.
Mr.. Phillips said the syrup was good
when pressed by iron rollers the sour taste
was occasioned by substance near the
skin, which must be SKINNED off.
Mr. Purdie, of Freeborn county, said the
sorghum would succeed we'll here, although
10 bis county some had failed of success,
from not taking proper care of it, and from
not having the appliances to express the
juice. The seed should be soaked and
sprouted, and planted about the first of
June, and as soon as it was out of the
ground it must be hoed, and when it
was six or eight inches high, the suck
ers must be thinned out. 1t should be
planted iD hills four feet apart, three stalks
to hill, and must be ploughed out two or
three times, and well hoed. All who had
taken any care in the culture of Sorghum
had succeeded WELL
Mr.. Rogers, of Mower county, stated
that when planted on low land there last
year, the Sorghum had been cut off, but
stated that corn had Jared no better. He
thought lime was the best article to correct
the ascidity He had cleansed it by filter
ing through charcoal, and also through sand.
Mr.. Hunt thought Sorghum might be
raised successfully anywhere corn cab the
only trouble was in manufacturing the
syrup. 1t must be pressed and boiled as
soon as the frost came He thought the
State would save great deal by its cul>
ture.
A gentleman from Wabashaw said it had
been cultivated successfully in that county,
and yielded from seventy-6ve to one hundred
and twenty-five gallons per acre, although
it had been manufactured with the rudest
machinery. He thought it would mature as
we'll here as in Illinois.
Mr.. Hunt said that large fields in Dodge
county were in good condition even when
corn had been cut down by frost.
A gentleman present stated that he had
travelled from the Blue Earth River to the
Mississippi, and found everywhere that it
had been successfully cultivated, and other
gentlemen confirmed the statements made
that it was at least as sure crop in Min.
nesota as corn.
Mr.. McCabe, from Northern Minnesota,
states that Mr.. o. H. Kelley, of Sherburne
county, had raised several acres of Sorghum
during the past season. Not having time
to make his syrup in the fail, be was doing
so during the late mild weather. The
syrup thus made was very good-but the
yield was not as great as it would be if
made in the fall. Mr.. K. thinks it matter
of great Importance, that the cane may be
cut up like corn, and manufactured in winter
when farmers have but very little to do,
He supposes that little of the saccharine
matter is lost by thus keeping-the cane
may need less boiling.
Mr.. Ford made his syrup the latter part
of November, or several weeks after hard
frosts found more acid in the juice if ex-
pressed ate.
In Illinois, much excellent syrup has been
made in winter. The best time, doubtless,
is just before or after the first frost.
Mr.. Smith, of Monticello, stated that
much Sorghum was raised in his vicinity in
1858. Last year it did not mature so well.
the season being shorter. 1t will do well
generally in Northern Minnesota.
In view of all the evidence before the
Club, the members passed resolution, al
most unanimously, that Sorghum could be
cultivated successfully here, and would be
profitable crop.
The next meeting will be held on Friday
evening, and the subject for discussion will
be " Fruit Culture"
WASHINGTON BLEssEs WASHINGTON IR-