Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1861-12-13
THE SORGHUM CULTURE

A movement in the right direction In
the presant stage of the sorghum culture
took place in the convention Of farmers
and sorghum-g growers, at Rockford, Win
nebago county. on Saturday, Nov. Both.
The meeting convened in the Court House.
From conversation with those present, and
from facts presented at the meeting as
appended, our reporter learned that the
product of the syrup for the present year
will not fall short of 10000 gallons in
Winnebago county alone, and that in 1862
it will reach, beyond peradventure 100, 600
gallons,
At least fifty specimens were presented
for examination, most Of them of superior
quality.
c. ". Buckbee presented an excellent
sample from cane grown on the ground of
Wm. Cone, New Milford. A sample pre-
sented by this gentleman, manufactured
from cane ten days after cutting, was par
tieularly admired. 1t was free from acid,
clear as amber, and in the process Of erys-
tallization The same geatleman also pre-
sented five specimens grown upon as many
different soils, in which the peculiar char
acteristics of the soil we're plainly discoT-
erable. H, P. Kimbal exhibited a jar Of
syrup from the imphee, which he claimed
to be superior to the sorghum. Specimens
were offered by other gentlemen, all of
which were highly commended. Al the
suggestion Of the Chairman, Geo. Mariner,
Esq, the exhibitors gave their experience
in raising the sorg hum,
Mr.. Geo Patterson said tha: he raised
the specimen presented, upon light sandy
soil, which had been richly manured the
preceding year. The syrup produced was
of beautiful amber color, but thin. It
was the first he had made, and with exPer-
ience thought he could do better The
darker specimen presented by this gentle
men was raised upon dark clay soil, and
manufactured by the same process. Sandy
soil produces lighter syrup, but be con-
sidered the darker the better article. He
had experimental but little, but he had
learned that the syrup was of better
quality if the contents of the pan were
boiled till the syrup was finished. The
addition of the green juice injured the
quality. He used the cast iron pan made
bv Clark & Utter. Sheet iron pans were
apt to burn the mass. The yield per acre
! is about 160 gallons on sandy soil, and
more on clay sell The whole number of
/ gallons manufactured by this gentleman
was 1876. He was not able to give the
net cost of growing and manufacturing !;
neither could he say what seed he planted.
For cleansing, be used IA h. of saleratus
to sixty gallons of juice,
Mr.. D. S. Parker of Milford, uses the
cast iron pan of Clark & Utter. His expert
ence was that in order to make light
syrup we must boil down tie contents of
the pan before adding green juice. His
soil was old land and sandy. and be plan
ted the common sorghum seed. He manu-
factured 800 gallens in two weeks. The
proportion ef syrup to the green juice is
one gallon of the former to ten or fifteen
Of the latter. The specimens presented
by this gentleman were in process of crys-
tahzation, The juice of his cane was not
as good this year as heretofore His ex-
periences is that the longer the juice boils
the darker is the syrup Used nothing fol
cleansing. He thought that the apparatus
used is altogether toe expensiTe- 1t cost
too much to make the syrup. and until
some way was devised to reduce expenses
] it would not be profitable. Heused Cook
evaporator, and thought lime could be used
to advantage. It would facilitate crystal
ization. He used it for restoring deter
iorated cane, with decided success
Alfred Hart. Of Owen. raised bis cans
upon sandy soil, and manufactured lO'
gallons of syrup upon three-quarters Of al