Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1864-10-06
From the Fayetteville Observer.
Chinrse Sugar Cane.

Chin.s. Sugar Cane.
Messrs Editors Many inquiries have beeu made Of
me in regard the Oninse sugr Cane aud its trc
ment allow me- to reply through your paper. First,
as to its poisoning cutie: Ny opinion is that the
cause is similar to theory which have in private
expressed as to the Of the famous Milk Sick 1t
ia noted fact in mountains at least that If cattle
are kept MP uotil the dew dries oil from the green
forage and driven in before the dew falls in the even
ing that they never suffer from this sickness Hence
drew the idea that it caused by me poisonous
exhalaon which combining either the Hydrogen OF
the dew or with OF the mica elements ct the plants
perhaps bOth-formad long the dew lasted, poi
son-say similar TO 5drocyanic Prussc) Acid or come
OF its combinations At eny rate am informed that the
leaves of the Peruvian tree OF mountains or even
of our c9mmOn wild Cherry when With dew sFe deadly
poison but when dry ifom the Gun are harmless The
similar theory have in relation to the Sorghum is that
it's poisonous qualities il it has any, due to SINH
lar combination Of its aid with scme other Chemical
constituent with the dew and that the reason OF 1ts
being iuiariCus TO- cattle IL certain sections
swampy regions for instances because the dews are
heavier and more fully laden with thu hurtu gases In
those sections This is theory 1t is true, but theory
drawn from observation. Then too some may pull ii
with dew on, others 10 the middle Oh the DAY. linen
again that grow high sandy land is not SO apt
to poison tba. grown rich swamp Or low land
Some think the cause is from the fbrous matter accu
mulsng in the stoma b. and being hard and ndlgestl
bic, thus fills the passages ard produces death DO
not think aDy one has proved this by opening the som
ach of an animal dead from eating the Sugar Cane );
al if it were 80 tie result would occur in one
section we'll in another, Whereas gentleman 81
Sampson says bis cattle died from eating the Sugar
Cane, while gentlemen from Richmond and Robson
say their cattle liVe-on it. | am late with these Ideas
but they may one, who has the ability, tor
undatons on which 10 base experiments ut It year.
My opinion is that sugar cannot be made TO any
profit from the Sorghum The only part OF the cane
which will make sugar is that which has red heart
and if it is desired to meka sugar the butts up to nea
where the red heart must be cut eff and ground
for that purpose Some varieties have no red heart.
The experiments which have made show that it is
very hard for the get ripe an it kept for sew
eral days atsr will yield less juice but mose syrup
than if cut and Immediately pressed. The saccharIe
matter does not evaporate, it loses ony the wattery
acid The gain saving of time i'm pressing ard boiling
Thus instead of making 10 gallons Of syrup from 100
gallons of juice you make 20 besides, the syrup is bat
ter.
Again, after thorough experiments l found the su-
rest way of making good syrup to be not to say
da or lime. boiled the juice down to say one half
and then added two or three buckets Of good spring
water boiled down again ard il thought necessary ad
ded more wafer aud then boiled it to syrup If the
soda other akal is added at the proper time-when
the acid matter is far il the minority it may do good,
but if added at eDy time when the acid has the prepon
deranca it is a2st certain 10 give the eyrup that quail
y which hiackcns the teeth The great secret though,
10 in having the July ripe. Still [ think unless
under very careful that soda had b6s not
be used.
My opinioa is that high san'y land fairly MANFRED
produces the from which to make the best syrup.
A fac beer and by distiilation an excellent article
OF rum, may be made from the skimmngs by putting
each halt bal Il 10 fifteen gallons OF warm water
the washis gs OF the pots Sonle of the froth which
rises 10 the pert of the process If boiling the syrup
should, too, be added his rum, we'll made is said by
judges to give eggnog better flavor than any other
liquor.
Fayetteville, n c., St pt 27,1s64
From the Richmond Examiner.
The Fall CRmpsIEn an Virginia.
The final struggle fer the possession of Richmond
and of Virginia Is near. This draws to a
close Richmond s held by the South till the frat
OF November, il will be OURS f,rcvermore for the
North will throw Gooter huge army iuto the
abyss where many lie and the war Will conclude
beyond doubt, with The independence OF tie Sou b.
ern STATES EVeuts have made this city-In itself
insignGcauthe keystone OF the arch. PROB IDLY the
last Effort for its distraction which the enemy
is about to make would not be attempted had not
Atlanta fallen from the hands of Hood. But Sher-
mans triumph compes Grant to match it, or sink into
insigni6canca.
According their wellsetIed CUSTOM the enemy pro-
claims the intenon, Grant himself, 10 public speech
made during his late journey, has notified his country
that whereas SHERMAN has scotched the tail in Georgia
lie bis way to crush the had OF the rebellion in
Virginia." WHAT OF more importance, he has brought
up the James fyfve thousand rev troops. 1t is true
that they will hardly co more than make up the depe-
Ton OF the last two months 1t ls also true that they
are troops of the very earnest desccptionthe subst-
tutes, tne ceu leNleS Ing reius5 OF Tue aphee army
Bat they lot brog ht here now, in mass except to
| be employed jmn datey y Toe bow must be struck
within the next tErfe weeks, or it cannot be strdck
ALL Even success would be useless for the election
less obtained in the coming month.
But it is less 10 the proofs of the prop
OsitiOns wlich Intelligent observer treat as
doubtful that the final struggle for Virginia is about
be made below Petersburg and perhaps, too, in the
Valley. Only one fear clouds tie rejecting mind. 1t
3sSs not the fear thac Generals will be unequal to
their duty, tnat armies insufficient. 1t is
fear arising from memories OF the past conduct Ct
central military authority every crisis. Just when
the scale trembes, just when the tiger is about to
spring. just when the eneuy's columns about to
emerge from the mist, that has hitt erto been found
their chosen moment to disintegrate our owe force
and to attempt insignificant conquest bu0dred miles
away. Lopgstreet sent to threaten Knoxville,
while Grant about to bound on Lookout
Muntain an army Distinguishing itself before
Little Washington while Butler landing at Ber-
mu Ia Hundred Breckenridge ordered out of the
Valley, while Hunter entering it, Recollecti0ns
like these crowd upon the mind and painfully Cypress it
now This species of strategy 80 often occurring, is
the sole fear of the army and the country at this mo-
ment But surely At this time at least we trembe be-
fore shadows, Some personages in history have been
styled worse than the untaught because shey were
stern lessons the Confederate authorities have receiv
ed, they must have learnt at least this much-that
troops must be concentrated in country ct stake, not
sent cut of it.
s THOROUGHLY YANKEE CALoULAT1oK.-A writer ia
the Jtfferaon County New York; Union, who has been
making calculation relative to the number of kill
ed thus far in this war, gives the following results s.
There have been enough already slain to encirce
State, If their dead bodies laid in continuous
iue If they placed in cofins and corded, they
would count thirty.nne thousand cords. If laid in
A.