Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1863-03-23
THE SORGHUM SUGAR CANE.

LIE OUUAh ZANE.
In this time Of great scarcity and high
prices of sugar and syrup, every Planter
should endeavor to plant enough of the
Sorghum Sugar Cane to. supply himself
with these articles. Indeed If would be
found one of the most renun erative crops
that could be planted. Now is the time
to plant, and we do not believe we could
do our Farmer friends a greater service
than by psblishing the following extracts
from a work in our possession On the cul
ture of this plant. We wish we could say
where and of whom SEED can be procured.
Hon. Walter Leak of Rockingham, Rich
mond county, N c., has been an extern
sive planter, and we doubt not seed could
be had of him ; or l.. F. Williams, ESQ,
Faison's Depot, Duplin county, N. G. The
seed should be planted in March or very
early in April.-ED. AGE.
! CHoIcE OF GRoUND FOR PLANTING CANE.
As the juices Of sugar cane, from their
saccharine qualities, possess a strong ATTN
| ity for the salific earths, and are apt to
absorb therefIom properties which materi-
ally retard crystallization, it is highly i'm
portant that care be exercised in the selec-
tion of such soils as are adapted to the
development of the saccharine principle in
the highest perfection, rather than those
which yield a rank growth of stalk, or ex>
c~essive quantity of juice. Moisture in the
soil, where in excess, expenditures weak
juice and re6undance of vegetable fiber
Mons. La Coste, an eminent French writer
on this subject, remarks that where a large
amount of soluble, inorganic matter is
present in the soils upon which sugar cane
is grown, their juices are crystallized with
difficulty. DR.. Ure, in an elaborate article
OH sugar making ia the British Indies, OBJ.
serves as follows /: ",Where canes grow or
q calcareous, nlarshy soil, in a favorable
season, the saccharine matter gets so thor
oughly elaborated, the glutinous mucillag,
SO thoroughly condensed, that a clear iuic,
and fine sugar may be obtained withou
the use of llme." Those lands which ar,
accounted best for corn, as rank, moist al
~luvions, are less desirable than rich mp
land, sandy loans, or light bottoms. A.
the saccharine development depends mucl
on light and heat, sunny exposures are t,
be selected where attainable. In fact, al
most any Of our dry soils will do vel
where proper caresis exercised in the pre-
paration of the ground.
We have reports of a fair growth of can
and sweet juice from fields which wonl
hardly yield corn enough to pay for cult
waiting it. Good land, if of the right sor
however, is much better than poor, and
would be very shoIt-sigbted policy to plan
large bodies of cane on very u%nproductiy
!, ground. We ase assured by reliable par
!. ties that cane grown on some of the fin
. soils of Kentucky, where lime is abuudan
!, yield a gallon of syrup to four of juice
. Cold, wet ground, in, other cases brougl
TO our knowledge;. have produced juices
/ watery as to require eight and even te
). -gallons to make one Of good syrup.
a In lands where there is a deficiency
J, lime, a surface application is recommends
/. Mons. Hardy, formerly director of IL
(French1 government nursery at Algeri
J, in Africa, advises this course very strongl
e assuming that those soils which abound
), carbonate Of lime yield Sorgho plan
possessing the,greatest saecbarine deve
O opment. s.
9 In the application of manures, mu,
q care should be exerclscd,and those OF a raj
= as well as ammoniated character shou
be especially avoided. Horse stable M,
q uure from the latter quality, is objection;
ble. Barn-yard, if weli-rotted, is bette
: leached ashes and green top dressing,
IRA ~we.l-rotted chips, is still more desirable.
sr Fall application is very strongly recon
le mended by some, and we have heard {
vorable reports from cane planted on f.
low ground. The main object to be soue
he. is to secure the advantages of the fertili,
(where such is required at all } and ay,
y. the taking mp by the plants juices of tn,
deleterious sails which have an unfave
l. able effect upon the formation of ervat.
, There is little land ia the Middle South.
er or Northw western States which needs enric
lis ing for the production of sugar Ca
it and more which needs rather to be {
as hausted, OF, if we may be allowed
term, depleted. s
at MoD OF PLANTING.