The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1862-12-24

from agricultural and hortcslt ural friends any
Information which vii! contribute to its value.
Cultivation of Sorghum. ~
A convention of the growers and man.
ufacturers of sorghum was held at Rock
ford, H., on the 18th inst. We quote the
following remarks in relation to the cult.
walton Of this important crop:
Mr.. Pardee, Of Winncbago, said deep
.lage was very essential to good crop of
cane. HIS mode Of preparing the ground
in one instance had been to cover it with
strs w-say fifteen tons of straw to five
acres Of ground and then burn it. In
this way he had been enabled to raise a
splendid crop Of cane, and manufacture a
fine quality Of syrup. The burning not
only improved the soil, but it destroyed all
of the weeds, grass and other acid matters
in the soil, and leaves it clean and sweet.
The best soil is that which will raise from
thirty to forty bushels of corn to the acre.
He had planted cane where straw had been
burned, and then some right beside it where
the ground had not been burned over, and
found that the burnt land produced double
the unburned. From this fact, recon-
mend burning The burning should take
place in the fall, and then be plowcd in,
and then harrow and pulyerize it in the
spring This, as | think, destroys the
weeds and grass. think the burning of
the straw did more good than the same
amount Of manure. He would plant small
Imphee, three and hal! feet apart one
way, and fifteen or sixteen inches the other
way. Would put plenty of seed in the hill
and should want from four to six seed to
terminate. ain confident of the sorg
aum-that cane has done the best with me-
syrup, and the lmphee for sugar. With
me the s,rall cane yi.lds about 100 gallons
70 the acre.
Daniel J. Teeter, of Carroll County, be-
'reved in planting thick. He would pillow
very deep in the fall, and give it a thorough
narrowing in the spring. W ould plant three
aud half feet apart one way, ana half that
distance the other. Would ridge the ground
and plant on the ridge learned from ex-
perience that this is the best. The high
ridge is warmer it gets more sun-than
the low furrow. do not trouble the cane
after it gets two feet high. Ashes viii ans
wer the same purpose as burning straw
tcached ashes are just as good as any other.
atm satisfied that the ashes alone do the
whole work, and will greatly reduce the
acid in the cane. ....
Mr.. Fink, of Boone, ridged his ground
and then planted by the marker on tie nat
ural level.
Mr.. Beach, of Iowa, wanted rich ground,
or well MANFRED the year before. plow it
leep in the fall. In the spring, harrow it
until it is thoroughly pulverized. Lay off,
east and west, three and a hall feet apart,
then mark it with light pillow, north aud
south. Would plant on the upper edge o:
Inc furrow, and then turn the ground up to
it when the cane was handsomely up Plant
IN the north side of the forrow; this ena-
s,les it to get more of the sun, and the
ground, by turning it up, will always be
warm and loose. Placing the seed on the
top Of the furrow keeps it dry.
Mr. Moss, of Iowa, would plow in the
fall, where corn had been previously plant
least half dozen seeds in the hill Ifyou
find suckers after the cane is up, hill the
cane well, and the suckers will disappear.
Don't pull off the suckers.
Mr.. Beach, of Iowa, would rather have
fifteen stalks in a hill than five. If you
have plenty Of stalks there will be no suck
crs, and you will have the small stalks,
which consider the best A stalk three
inches in circumference will contain no
more saceharine matter than one an inch
and a half in circumference. 4 small stock
has the saceharine, and not the bitter and
acids. Never lay my cane on the ground
after it has been cut. take it to the mill
immediately. think the juice improves
i the cane lies in dry place, or has dry
weather. ~
Mr., Huntington, Of Winncbego, said ais
speaker. He put from fifteen to twenty five
seeds ina hill. He thought growing il
thin made better syrup. had heretofore
thought the offal from the cane rs worth.
less, but he had lately discovered that hor-
SEES, cattle and hogs loved it, and it had be
ter fattening and feeding qualities than any
other grain.
Mr. Meecham, Of Will county, said his
soil was full of grubs when he CONNIE need
planting, and they destroyed the cane. lie
then plowed deep in the fall, and that des
troyed the grubs. Did not plow in the
spring. but narrowed it thoroughly. Tn.
soil was cold and clammy, and did not pro
duce well. His neishbors plowed in tn,
spring, and their crops were two or thre,
weeks ahead Of mine. Spring blowing
opens up and warns the soil Clay soil i.
sure to be hard and cold if it is not plowes
IN the spring.
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