, 1861-02-02
TIE CHINESE SUGAR CANE ISSUE.
The ExPERHbcE or A. II. MILLER OF Ia
PORTE, INDIANA.
Will eorghum CEyxtaNze!

| THE ExPERlshcE OF 4. II. MILLER Of La
PORTE, INDIANA.
Will eorghum cTystalize!
PRACTICAL RESULTS.
The successful cultivation Of the Chlnest
Sugar Cane, under the present disunion i'm
pulse, Is claiming a first importance in ou1
country. The rebellious attitude Of Lonislani
ut this time the source upon which hitherto
we have drawn largely for cur saccharine sup
plies. warns us Us matter Of safety to our
| selves That come other and more reliable
source should be sought out, and that, with a
littla delay as possible. In 1856 the attention
Of bur people was drawn to the prospective
benefits likely to follow tho introduction into
this country Of the cultivation of So'yAo Si1ert
or Chinese Sugar Cane. Many experiments IN
it: cultivation, especially In the Northwest
followed, most Of them Of IN Incidental chas'
a:ter, With Immature machinery, OF no mt
caine1y ut all, and with but Indifferent results
at first, but Afterwards with mora SUCCESS
enough 20 to render Its triumph certain, when
more thoroughly understood, and the rcqui
site machinery should be supplied. Yet moth
ing which may be considered full md fail
| trial has ever been reached. As VIC haye re-
| marked, the attitude Of our national affairs a1
this time forces us, as measure Of self pro
I lection, to give this Northern sugar cultiSa
tion more thorough attention, until results
| which ehan prove substantial data to act upon,
are renched.
We have determined ty ngitate this question
whenever opportunity offers, and for this pur'
| pose ne geek such facts from all who have
practical knowledge or experience bearing
upon this subject, rs will tend to bring the
sugar question to q practical Issue. We gave
4 few days since an elaborate article on the re-
sults reached BY Mr. Y. G. Luce Of Plainfeld
Wll County, with incidental mention Of Other
| individual efforts in the same county, In the
cultivation Of the Chinese Sugar Cane during
| the past year. We NOW have some facts to
! give upon the same subject obtained from Mr..
Aaron H. Miller Of Knnkakcc, La Porte Coun-
ty, Indiaaa, who has !been engaged In raising
aud manufacturing the Chinese sugar Cane To
limited extent for The past three years.
TIE hind OF son.
Tue Kind Of soil upoi which Mr.. Miller has
made his experiments is rich light sandy
| loam, with southern exposure, sheltered or
! the north and west By . grove Of timber
thereby breaking the force Of the cold, raw
winds which usually come + ON those quarter:
in the spring months Of the year when the
plant Is young and sensitive to the influence
| Of heat ind cold. This is IN important con
sideration, and should always be borne II
| mind by persons who intend to embark In the
| business. The soil should be well and thor
| oughly manned. Other soils than the lighi
sandy loan my be equally as good, perhaps
better, but this Is the soil which Mr. Mille1
has employed, and he feels eatistied with IT.
| MODE OF CULTIVATION.
| The ground should be plowed early in My
| 10 inches deep, or soon as the weather wil
permit, and the seed should be put in as sooz
n!tcE tho plowing as possible. Previous tt
planting, the seed should be put into warn
water and allowed to sprouti this gives tht
corn good start ahead Of the grass, and thi:
start will be strongly and beneflcially n,anifcs
in the future growth Of the corn. Before
planting, the ground should be well dragged
until It lns acquired perfectly smooth surface
when it should be marked into rows four fee
apart running North and South, and eighteen
inches apart running East and West. No
more than three stalks should be allowed in
hill, and suckers and parasites Of every dc
scEiption thoroughly weedcd out. rs 500,
as the cane becomes large enough the cultiya
tor aud hoe should be put in operation, tn
cultivator first, to be followed soon after b,
the hoe, md this process can be continuc'
with advantage until the cane reaches heigb
OF about four feet, when It can be left to itsel
until ripe. In obtaining seed precsutio,
shonld be taken in getting q pure article Til
largest share Of the seed sold has 1arg
amount Of broom-corn seed mixed with il
which greatly deteriorates the quality an'
Quantity of the syrup or sugar. Mr. n. deem
1t essential that the cane should reach thor
ough maturity before 1t is cut, especially
this important in crystaIization. When Ii
cane is ripe, 1t should be stripped Of lis leave
and allowed to stand thus exposed to the sul
few days, when it should be cut, aud set u
where 1t will dry sufficiently to admit Of beinl
housed, where it must remain in as nearly tn
same condition MS possible until worked up
If allowed to freeze, 1t should be manufacture,
Immediately, owing to Its tendency after free
zing to ascidity, which tendency, however,
less in proportion to the ripeness Of the cane
Ills acidity in the juicc-unless thorough
neutralized-is Iety detrimental to crystaliz:
/ tion; but after having been ncutrallzed, n
difficulty attends the process Of graining, bu
presents itself in the separation Of the molal
ses from tho sugar, in the shape Of q gumm
substance.
Many cane-growcrs differ In opinion as
: the best time for cutting the cane. As state
!: aboyc, Mr. Miller deems 1t highly esscnti:
for making good syrup, and sugar esp
cially that the cane should bo fully nip
before 1t is cnt; Tho experience Of othe,
seems to be in favor Of cutting the cane Will
the seed is in the dough" If cut in tho Ia
ter stage, no doubt larger yield Of syrup vi
be the result, but it is pretty well estab1ishe
TINT the quality Of the article will be infcrie
md more especially will It be foundto contai
that peculiar ascldity or twans which has bee
deemed q serious objection to the Chinese sstcT
Nc think the facts in the case bear OF
Nj. Miller in the: opinion that the best sugt
and molasses is produced from cane that is fu
y ripe.
PROCESS OF MANUFACTURING.
As eooa as the cane is ripe, and before Gu
ting, 1t should be stripped Of Its leaves, IN
topped about eighteen inches below the hea,
| and remain In that condition for few da,