The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1862-04-30
From the Chicago TRIBUNE.
THE SUGAR CANE QUESTION.
General Sorghum Convention q,
Adrian, Mich.

lor convention OF Sorghum growers and
manufacturers, to be composed ofreprescnt.
atives OF the various Northwestern States,
and all such others as might feel disposed
TO come, t. meet at Adrian, Mich, on the
10th and 18th inst, to consider the sorghum
question in all its bearings, and more par.
tcular!y to discuss the following PROPOSE
tions:
1.-The kind of soil adapted to the growth
Of sorghum.
2-Selrcion Of seed.
3-Preparations for planting.
4-IimS of planting.
5-Treatmens of the plant during its
growth.
6-Time and mode Of harvesting, and
treatment Of the cane after harvesting
7-Propcr time for crushing, and ma.
chinery suitable for that purpose.
S--Evaporating, and best method there.
for.
9-Method and means of refining the
syrup and granting the sugar.
Pursuant to the call quite large number
Of gentlemen representing the States of
Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, and Iowa,
engaged either in the growth of sorghum
its manufacture into syrup or sugar, aud
manufacturing the machinery therefor, as
sembled in Biddle's Hall in this city to day
The convention was called to order at 9
O'Clock, and on motion, Samuel Lathrop of
Adrian was chosen chairman, and Dr. J.
Ii. Champion, of the same place, Secretary.
The questions named in the above call
were then taken up for discussion, seratim
the first being.
1.-THE KIND OF SOIL ADAPTED TO TIE
GROWTH OF SORGHUM.
S. w. STANDARD of Huron Co, Ohio. said
that good corn soil was good cane soil
light sandy loan; it is sure to make the
| best sugar. Heavy soil would produce a
large growth Of cane, but it would produce
more vegetabl. and less sarcharne matter.
| j. W. Jackson Of st. JOS, ph Co, Mich,
always found that cane grown on a light
sandy soil makes the best syrup and gran.
ulateS the best.
John Knapp of Fairficld Mich, agreed
with the last two speakers. lie had plant-
cd on a sandy loan greensward, and al.
thougA he planted late, and it did not ripen,
yet it made good syrup and granulate
perfectly.
\. Foster Of IIills.lale Co., Mich, has
raised cane for the last four years, and has
been very successful. He found the best
soil to be light sandy loan, with descend
ing southern or eastern exposure, made
rich by vegetable or Well ro,ted stable ma
nure.
Mr.. Ambrose of Washtenaw county, had
planted on gravellv loan-the field hav-
ing descending southern exposure. lie
had also planted on dark timber land soil.
lie coull discover no difference in the syrup.
He thinks the difference is more in the man-
ufacture than in the soil. The heavy soil
produces large growth, and cons ,quently
larger quantity Of vegetable matt than
the cane grown on a lighter soil. BY this
means it requires more heat and Il larger
time to eyaperate, and is consequently,
when manufactured, of darker color, caused
by the heat. The same is true of cane
raised on a black clay soil.
John Senice Of Fayetteville, Mich, first
used rich, low, mucky soil. The cane
grew very arg'. Next year he tried it on |
light, loamy, ridge soil, well manurcd with |
line, we'll rotted manure The cane wa, |
not sn laig. as the previous year, but con,
tanned more saccharine and less vpgetabl..
matter. My opinion is that sorghum does
best on light, sandy soil with we'll ,otted |
manme. On the low, mucky soil it grow,
too much to stalk
VIM Is. Cory, of Lima Ind, thinks tie
prairie yields the most cane, the woodland |
next, ana the oak openings the lightest |
The lshtvst soil yiclis the lightest colorcd
syrup; bur let the cane raised on prairi
soil be under cover for some time, and its
product becomes lighter In our vicinity
prairie soil will produce from 300 to $50
gallons to the acre; the openings from l2O
to goo. The color of the syrup is increaS
ed by the boiling that on the prairie soil
requiring more boiling than that on the
lighter soils. Light colored soil, with
southern exposure, with a stream of water
in the same direction, near by, will admit
of earlier planting and later growth--and
it ripcns much better. The ripcr the cane
is the frcer it will form veg table matter,
and consequently you get better article OF
syrup, which will be more sure to granu
late.
W. s. Wilson, of Raisn, thinks sand
and gravel the best for cane, and that a see.
ond crop will be better than the first.
ID. ID, Tooker, Of Rai>in, Mich, thinks a
rich sandy loam will yield the best cane. 1t
should be well manurcd. Wheat straw
plowed under, also ashes, will increase the
yield.
Mr.. Mann, Of Fulton Co., Ohio, thinks
a sandy loan will do best 1t should be
well manured. Manure warns the SOIL and
warmth Is highly necessary, at planting
in fact the cane will not grow until the
ground is warn. BY doing this the cane
turns out more syrup, and of Il better quail
ity. He planted last year half an acre in
light sandy loam, aud the latter yielded
double the amount Of syrup, and of better
quality.
c. ". Ingraham, Of Jackson Co., Mich,
said that his experience thus far proved
that cane raised on light, warm soil pro
duced the best syrup, aud also the best
sugar. No evaporator will exclude all the
vegetable matter; but if the cane could al
ways be ripe, thoroughly so, | think the
cane raised in the heavy soil would be as
good. Let the cane be thoroughly ripe, and
its granulatng qualities are greatly increas-
cd. Green cane, Of course, contains more
matter, and, consequently, more
grape sugar, or glucose. The cane, in my
opinion, should have All early start and get
thoroughly ripcned. If this be so, altho'
it may grow on heavy soil, it will make
good syrup and granulate well.
Q. NJ. Branarl, of Marion Co., Iowa,
thought the best soil for syrup or sugar
was sandy gravel, or hazel soil On rich,
low soil good syrup can be produced pro-
vided it has been cropped a number of
years. There is grape sugar in rich soils
"a specimen Of which he exhibited to the
that prevents granuation.
This grape sugar is also found in soils lately
together with portions of vcge,a
ble albumen. These, combined IN the lice,
will make black, bitter syrup, but will no,
grsnulate into sugar Therefore light soil
will produce grained sugar, if rightly
Soil manured with horse
manure will produce acidity in the syrup,
and it contains a large quantity of 'potenr
Or vegetable albumen, and will never gran
nlate. Cane planted wide apart will grow
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