The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1862-03-08
A TALK ABOUT SORGHUM.
INTERESTING AND INSTRUCTIVE DE-
TAILS OF EXPERIENCE.

prospect of further advance, very natur-
ally awakens increasing interest in the cul-
tiyation of sorghum, or Chinese sugar cane
plant, in the North. Very many letters of
inquiry are continually coming to this
Office, and we shall gladly give any inform
alton we can gather and communicate.
Thousands of acres were grown during
1861, and manufactured into good, palatable
sweetening. The crop will doubtless be
increased to tens, II not hundreds of thous
sands ofacres, the present year.
Perhaps we cannot do better in this
number than to print some memoranda or
notes taken down by one of the editors of
the Anserican Agriculturist. during recent
lengthy conversation with Mr.. E. A. Van
Meter, who has had considerable expert
ence, both as a cultivator and in working it
up in large quantities for his neighbors, in
Washington, Tazewell county, Illinois. We
have samples of the syrup produced, which
are of excellent quality, and need no puri
| flying for ordinary table or culinary use. Il
is indeed free from the green or sharp taste
which is so common.
NIB. VAN METERS EXPERIENCE AND OPINIONS.
The plant does well upon any good corn
land, and the expense of cultivating the two
crops, aside from the cost of the seed, which
is inconsiderable, is the same. A rather
light soil-sandy loam-other things being
equal, produces juice of the greatest rich
ness. In regard to the seed, it is of the
utmost importance to have pure Chinese
sugar cane. The imphee, in his experience.
is three weeks later, and produces syrup of
| by no means so good quality, and less in
quantity. The admixture of broom coru
seed is not infrequent, and is fatal to good
crop, there being no sweetness in the stalks
Sorghum may be planted in hills three and
a half feet apart each way, or in drills the
same distance apart-the plants standing
singly eighteen inches to two feet apart, and
the suckers allowed to grow. If planted in
hills, FIVE stalks are left in each, and the
suckers thoroughly removed. He decidedly
prefers planting in drills, and thinks that
this has much to do with the good results
of the crop. The seed should be planted
as early as the ground can be prepared,
and is fit for its reception-earlier than
corn. The practice OF neighbor is to sow
in an early seed bed and transplant to the
field, setting the plants two feet apart in
rows, and the rows three and half to four
feet apart. This mans syrup crystalized so
readily that he was obliged to make it all
into sugar, and was unable to take even a
fair sample of his molasses to the county
fair. It is the largest, best grown and best
matured stalks, that yield the most and best
syrup. Some juice yields seventeen per cent.
Of good, thick syrup, and others only ten
per cent.
The crop is treated like corn, until it be-
gins to ripen, which may be known by the
cane turning yellow upon the joints toward
the butts, and by the blackness of the
seeds. At this period it should be ''blad-
ed" or stripped of its leaves. to facilitate
its perfect ripening. To effect the "blad.
E ing. - take a hickory stick. one and hall
to two inches in diameter and three feet
long. slip on ring, or bind it strongly,
, within fourteen inches of the end; split this
end in the middle, and spread the ends two
inches apart, by wedge in the split. This
saves a great amount of labor-a single
blow usually blading a stalk, and often
more than one perfectly. The blades thus
E removed are considered equal to corn fod
der, not having been touched by the frost
and are easily cured. The bladed stalks
stand after this two weeks or more, unless
danger of frost makes it necessary to cut
them sooner. Freezing is ruinous to the
cane, giving peculiar flavor to the syrup,
, and causing fermentation IN the cane itself,
unless pressed Immediately. It must
, therefore, be cut up before any hard frosts
i, though light frosts, which wither the
leaves, do no hurt.
! When fully ripe. the cane should be cut
which operation is thus performed: Using
a corn knife, strike off about three feet Of
the top as it stands 1.-THE length to be cut
off will vary somewhat, according to the
size and maturity of the cane.) Then cut
! the cane off about eight inches from the
ground, or at least above the first joint, and
lay in piles or on the wagon. There viii
usually be suckers enough to bind the
cane in bundles if it is desirable, or if it is
to be hauled far. After the removal of the
stalks. the seed may be collected, or fed tc
8 hogs or poultry on the ground. The canes
: are then taken directly 20 the mill, or sci
up or laid in piles, and protected against
! frost by covering them with the tops, oil
with hay or straw-in which condition they
E will keep for months.
The mill used was Hedges, Free & Co.'s
two horse mill-a good one-consisting Of
three rollers thirteen inches long, the largest
! and upper one eight inches, the others four
:. inches in diameter; both small rollers act
against the large one. From eight to thir.
teen canes are kept passing through the
mill at once, and as the juice flows out it is
conducted to the ''clarifer," being as liquid
. as water, and of dark. grass green color
e (Imphee juice is of dark. muddy hue.
r In the clarifying pan it is mixed with
= Ron.,a pafoDt ssclarifvers'' Il uixturo nj