Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1862-04-23
From the Prairie Farmer.
Sorghum Culture.

EDIToRs PRAIRIE FARMER To grow
cane successfully, few things, such as the
following, must be done thoroughly and in
season. First, the ground must be very
rich, the richer the better; plowed deep
and well narrowed. 1t should be much
better prepared than is usually done for
corn. As the cane is SO small and weak
when it makes its appearance, it would be
very difficult to find it among Jumps and
on an uneven surface Moreover, the
"poor little links" as heard Dutchman
exclailn on first seeing The cane, will not
feel disposed to grow and flourish on a
soil So neglected.
After the surface is mellow and even,
we mark one way same as for corn-three
feet two inches-and the other just half
the distance. This being so close, we cul-
tivate with cultigatot, and plow only one
way. We cross mark SO as toget the hills
even, and that we may know where to look
for them at the first hoeing. Oi course
these marks will be settled from one to two
inches below the surface. Before drop
ping the seed, fill it up with a hoe full Of
mellow dirt, for if this is not done, the
dirt and Jumps are apt to wash in and COW
er the seed too deep, or choke up the
plants while they are small, and as the
seed in no case should be covered more
than one-half inch, it will bring the bill
too far below The surface if the marks are
not filed up, and SO he much more difficult
to take out the weeds than It would be il
the hills were more raised.
By experiments we ind we can get ma
tured cane two weeks earlier, by soaking
the seed two or theee days in pure warm
water, some say scald or pour on boiling
water. You may as well scald pig to
make him grow fast.
Byrepeated trials we have found we
can get more cane and more syrup from
two acres planted at the distance | men
ton, that we can from three-ana | think
i fouf-pla ted three feet nine inches each
way. Now, if | was intending to plant
but 4 small patch, and The ground was IN
fifst-rate order, should not plant over
twenty inches each way We always 60
through the cane with the hoe before we
can follow the rows with a horse and cult
yator, and Immediately after 90 through
with a cultiyator, - we can then see where
We have been with lie hoe, If not the cane
/ We have found it profitable to put in n
least ten or twelve kernels to the hill,
though the seed snould cost one dollar
Der pound. 1.-THE seed should all comS
IN, pull out very few, fe4 tie stalks grow
nearly as large whep there are ten IN hn.
as thew do when there sfc only four and
| do not pucker near so badly, and also, will
/ rs ii much better shape for the mill, an
HI think sweeter We have worked u
cane grown from one hundred different
matches, and found that long slim stalk
crown on rich, dry soil, are much tht
sweetest and make the best syrup.
We endsayor to keep the cane free from
weeds, M it thoroughly shades hegFound
l after that. the weeds 20 but little narnl.--
We shall plapt Ibis sD,yipg, twelve acres I
cane. ard probably work up as many more
we estimate that we make double BIZ =
acr from cane, that we do from any othe
cp3p. Some plant cane, and expect t,
rake big pile Of money from SINAI
,aseh miserably cultivated, ard So 9
course, GET disappointed.
Most Of tie farmers IN IT'S neighboi
hood plant enough sorghum lar their owi
use. Nine cut Of tel prefer i, even II i
I4ade stste, to foreign syrup. ! presun
that here. ia q scasre Of eight miles, theF
was manufactured Six thousand gallons
. syrup last fall, If there is any one tls
en-, from actual experience, prove that p
mode T here recommend i wrong notl
ing but Union victory would please n
more than to here from him.
w. G. BAKER.
Cook Co., Ill. March 18th,