The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1864-04-21
Cultivation of Sorghum.


ment, than with the view of making business
of it, Or even of making it a profitable portion
Of the business of the farm. Within the past
year or two much attention has been paid to this
subject by both practical and scientific men,
Conventions have been held in Ohio, Indiana,
Illinois and in this State for the purpose of COM
pairing notes and eliciting facts, that should be
reliable data upon which farmers generally
might safely act. The result of all these CON
ventons inquiries and comparisons, has been
to establish the fact that the cultivation of Sor-
ghum and the manufacture of Syrup, Molasses,
and even sugar therefrom, may be safely and
probably made principal business of the
farmer.
Of course every farmer should take into cons
sideration the kind of soil he has to cultivate,
and plant accordingly.
Experience seems to have demonstrated that
a high, warm location, not too strongly impress
mated with vegetable matter, is the best adapted
to the growth of sorghum. Though any good
corn land may be used with good success, if i
be fertized with ashes and lime, or plaster, in
stead of barnyard manure, sandy soil or gray
ely knoll, with proper fertilizers, is much bet~
ter than the richest bottoms for, though the
stalks may not grow as large, the juice will be
much sweeter.
Preparation of the soil should receive espec-
ial care. It should be plowed deep in the Fall
or early Spring and then shallow just before
planting Pulverize the soil thoroughly with
pIow cultivator and harrow, that the numberlcss
roCtlets may have plenty of loose earth i'll which
to ranb lie for food, and come to the genial infu-
erce of the sum- to distiIl the rich juices for your
future comfort. Three or four days before plant
ing turn up ridges TO plant on. These will be>
come warm by the sun and atmospheric agen-
cies, and should heavy rains 70 low planting, the
seed will not be as much affected thereby. Just
ahead of the planters cross the ridges with a
to deposit the slight seed.
In reference to the Planting and Cultivation
We quote the following
The seed should be covered as light as posi-
ble.s Half an inch of light soil over the seed is
as much as ever should coverit. Many success
tul planters drop the seed on the mellow ridge
and lust step on it, which covers it sufficient.
should recommend soaking the seed sometime,
even TO starting il to sprOut. before planning
though on this subject there is as much dlversi-
ty of opinion as there is in regard 10 soaking
corn
The time for planting corresponds nearly TO
corn lanting, but we would plant the cane first.
Should The cane be cut down by the frost in the
spring it will start again if the roots remain un
Injured though it is well enough to nip OFT the
frosted leaves by hand. We recommend plants
ing in hills, three to four feet apart each way to
facilitate cultivating Use plenty of seed, and
weed with care the first hoeing, the small
plant resembles grass very much. II at the secs
ond hoeing there are more more plants than nec-
essary pluck them out. Ten or htteem thrifty
stalks may be LEFT to advantage. With this
number they are not liable to suecor as with
less
Before planting it is well TO test the seed by
fprouting, to see what proportion OF it will gers
minate,gH then add about one-third for the
d ference Of ground outside, and the well pull
verized soil you have selected to sprOut in,
CULTIVATION
should commence as soon as the plant can be
seen and hould be frequent in the early part of
the season with cuItivatOr and hoe. This will
assist in admitting heat, air and light to the
| Young ro0tets, and give the plant the advantage
of the weeds. Cultivation late in the season, or
after the cane is eighteen or twenty inches high,
| should be avoided. 1t not only cuts the roots.
but extends the time of its growth. and retards
the ripenlng.
| On prairie or dark loan Soils where vegetable
matter predomna,es, we would urge the i'm
portance of applying dressing of Stacked lime
and ashes. A handful in each hill, applied in
Eearly June. and again in July, would be OF great
Ebenfft. If the lime is fresh and strong, it shod
not be put on the plant, but placed close
around the hin. These fertilizers will not only
act as the best stimulant to healthy growth, but
will enter into the compost tion Of the plant, and
II eutralze the acids which is necessary TO be
done to produce the best results in syrup and
sugar
We cannot better close this item than by cop"
wing the following talk with BELCHER, the
great Sugar Refner" of st. Louis and Chicago,
about Sorghum, furnished by a correspondent of
the Madison Journal
In briet conversation he stated the follows
ing Interesting facts and opinions:
That in the fall and winter of 1862, they re,
fined many thousands of gallons of sorghum
syrup and made of it an article of golden Syrap,
that easily sold in the market at good prices uno
der various fancy names not understood to be
sorghum syrup at all. They sold it as golden
syrup ratherthan sorghum, because it was real
ly goodarticle, and because golden syrup had
already an established reputation and sorghum
lhad not.3aa .E4
Mr. Belcher said there is no trouble in maxi
ing first rate article of golden syrup of any
good light colored sorghum, and without much
diminution or expense That from ten to fiji
teen cents per gallon would cover the cost and
shrinkage and make an article that would sell in
any market of the world for good price and
no one could tell what if was made Of
He said he had DO doubt but what good sor>
ghum syrup would be worth six shilIings per
gallon at wholesale next fall in any quantity that
may be offered, and that probably no country
| in the world would at least for long time be
able to produce good syrup cheaper than the
rich prairies of the West.
"He thought the farmerssought TO and would
grow ii extensively as a commercial CROP just
a. soon as they come to realize its great value
and proftableness as a farm crop, not merely for
syrup but for many other important uses and
purposes to which it would be put.
! 1T occurred TO US that the foregoing opinions
of one so well known and SO well posted upor
the subject, might perhaps strengthen the faitf
of those who wish to see something even more
than certainty before they believe. i
did not in the least change our views, ali eadJ
believing as we do that Sorghum is just as SAFE
and vastly more profitable as farm crop thar
corn.
IS" We hear men say that there would
not be currency enough in the country t.
do the business in the event that the issue
of the wildcat concerns were expelled. Thi
is not true; but any deficit there may b
can be very easily supplied. The nationa
currency in the hands of the people on the
10Th Of March was as follows:
Legal Tenders. ............. $433, 000 O0t
Fractional Currency ....,......19, 17300
Certificates of Indebtedness. 131, O98, 90
One Year Treasury Notes. ...... IA, 600, 90
; Two Year Treasury Notes. -, .115, 81, 90
Total .............$ 715, 452, 90
Here are over seven hundred millions {
Government currency aaoat. But some ma
contend that two year Treasury notes an
certificates of Indebtedness do not circulat