The Buchanan County guardian. (Independence, Buchanan County, Iowa) 1858-1864, 1862-04-01

lence has proved that small or slender
cane contain, proportionably, much
sweeter juice than larger ones. BE sure
to plant thick enough, and should you
not have good "stand," you can get a
good one by transplanting, which the
cane bears well.
In the spring of '53 many of my cane
plants were washed away by inundating
rains, yet by the above suggestion l OBJ
tained a good stand. Early attention is
essential to insure an early crop. Under
no circumstances, as far as my exper-
, fence teaches, would l recommend suck
ering the cane. The cane plant is full
of energy and vitality, and if the suckers
are removed, many stalks will send out
suckers at the upper joints, presenting
the appearance of a small tree. In the
conversion of the cane juice into syrup
or sugar, it is very desirable to take time
by the forelock so as to commence early
In the fall. If cane is we'll stripped, cut
and tied into gavels, and ranked up like
cord wood, we'll covered with hay or
straw, it will keep good from six to ten
weeks.
Many people yet entertain very vague
notions in regard to manufacturing cane,
molasses and sugar. Some have an idea
if we lad mills with golden rollers, and
silver plated Evaporators, then a genuine,
number one article of golden syrup would
be the result. But experience teaches a
different lesson. The great secret of sue
cess is to have everything in "apple pie
order" have good cane, cultivate as
above suggested, good management and
rapid evaporation in shallow pans
Where all the conditions are attended to,
a syrup will be produced far superior to
the ordinary "nigger molasses !" sy-
rup that can be eaten with an upright
stomach and solid inward satisfac-
ton.
A few years ago, if men ventured to
experiment with the sugar, cane they
were hooted at, and even abused by the
would be learned, but notwithstan ding
their idiotic sneering, the cane crop has
become a staple crop, as much so as
wheat or corn. According to statistics
before me, in '6l Ohio raised over Z.
100000 gallons of Sorghum syrup.
And il is supposed that in '62 the figures
will not fall short of 35, 600, 900 gallons
This, at fifty cents per gallon, amounts
to Sl7, 100000, not a small item for
one State. From the statistics of other
States, it is not saying too much that the
time Is rot far distant, when the annual
net proceeds of the cane crop in the
West and Northwest will be 100000.
600.
have made experiments for two sea-
sons with the Sorghum as forage crop,
and consider it good thing. 1t Yields
an enormous amount of fodder TO the
acre. used it to feed stock in the fall
after the pasture became scarce, dry and
unfit TO eat. Horses and work oxen
flourish finely on cane stalks without any
y Il
thing besides. With nothing but this
feed they did hard work, day after dav
and kept in good spirits. For milch
cows, l found the cane par escellent, in.
creasing the milk very materially in
quality as well as quantity.
The cane for fodder | sowed broadeas,
one bushel and a half to the acre. II
yields about ten or fifteen tons 10 the
acre. When four or five feet high com
menced cutting il up, by running il
through straw-cutter, then feeding in
large boxes, with salt on, occasionally
Everything about the farm, from calves
and chickens to oxen and horses, relish
ed it with determined aviditv.
nj. HARTER.
independence, Io,ca.
To THE EDITOR Some time aoo !
learned from reports presented at Gin.
cinnati, Ohio, by sugar growers, that in