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

SORGHUM CULTURE.


The Farmers Club had a meeting on
Monday night at the Capitol, for the pur-
pose of discussing the question whether Sor-
ghum could be made profitable crop in
Minnesota.
Gov. Ramsey was called to the chair. He
expressed his deep interest in the subject of
Agriculture, and spoke of the benefit which
would result to the farmers of the State from
the discussions of the Club. aud stated that
the reports of the meetings had been copied
in some of the leading journals of the coun-
try, which would have the effect of turning
the.attention of the people to our State.
Mr.. Abbott of LIE Seuer was not disposed
to look upon Sorghum as profitable crop
in this State. He detailed his experience
in its culture, which was not very encourage
ing, and stated that In the neighborhood in
which he resided it had all been cut off by
frost, except in the vicinity of the river and
lakes, and considered it more likely to be de-
stroyed by frost than corn. He thought
Sorghum in Minnesota was humbug, but
he was not borne out in this opinion by any
other spe Aker during the evening, and finally
concluded that he might have been mistaken
in thus Judging of it, except so far as related
to the experience of his immediate neighbors
and his own.
Mr.. Phillips of st. Paul exhibited a bot
tie of syrup, manufactured by himself, which
was equal to any golden syrup we ever
tasted. Five years ago, he saw some seed
here, and planted it about the first OF June
on sandy ground. 1t grew slowly at first,
but after it had got well started, it grew
Iuxuriantly. He planted about l-l6th of
an acre, and after getting it pressed out
with rude machine, be had Is gallons of
the syrup, although he was almost entirely
ignorant of the proper process to be pursued
in its culture Or expressing the juice. Last
year he planted some of his own seed, but
by reason of its poor quality the plant did
not come up until the first of July, and did
not know how any one could have succeeded
under worse circumstances than he had
done. He thought Sorghum would do we'll
here. He had corrected the ascidity of the
molasses by the use of soda, although some
preferred lime, but there is some danger of
getting too much OF either. He knew of "a
man on the Blue Earth river who planted
less than an acre, and with very poor facili
ties tor making the syrup, he succeeded in
getting Is galons--and he concluded that
with proper machinery, the yield would be
from $50 to 200 gallons per acre. One
stalk produced pint of juice. The yield
was about l pint of syrup to or I of the
Juice. He used all the stalk, excepting
about foot at the top.
Mr.. Rothpletz stated that where be had
observed its manufacture, he thought iron
was not calculated TO do good service; it
either smoked or burned the juice. He
He stated that Sorghum was cultivated
successfully on the Red River of the North
it ripened well, even when planted on a
heavy soil. 1t was cultivated the same as
corn, but planted later, and was sold from
Is or 80 cents per gallon. When it is FROST
bitten, it makes the best of vinegar. He
had seen excellent sugar made from it
which granulated we'll.
L. Nj. Ford, of Groveland, would not
discuss the merits of sorghum culture in
Minnesota. From his own experience, and
the experience of those WHO have spoken to-
night, it might be considered as settled, that
the cane may be raised in our State with
success. With suitable appliances, from
one to two hundred gallons Of syrup may be
raised to the acre. In the southern part of
the State the seed will mature in favorable
seasons, and an acre of ground will produce
more and better syrup than in the north.
In all cases, however, only the lower part of
the cane should be used, if a superior article
is desired. The extreme lower joints will
make sugar. while the top will make good
vinegar. Not gallon of syrup or molasses
should be brought into our State. With
our present population several hundred
thousand dollars might be saved annually it
farmers would cultivate sorghum and imphee,
the latter of which is said to be earlier by
one or two weeks. When our State be-
comes thickly settled, the saving will amount
to millions of dollars. Very little sugar will
be needed in family if they have plenty Of
good syrup, and in time sugar will be made
from the sorghum. Some very good SAM
ples were shown at the Illinois State Fair /;
also crystalized sorghum. There will be no
trouble, if We have one Of Douglas Evap-
orators, which is the best be saw at the
United States Fair, The prices range from
S45 to $75. One Of these would do for q
.:.LhorhooJ 4