The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1865-08-23
For the Rock Island Argus.
Sugar From Chinese Cane.

Sugar From Chinese Cane.
The country has been greatly exercised TOT
some years over the introduction OF sorghum
or Chinese cane-also the African im pnee.-
Great were the expectstioDs OF the people
-,n,n it's frs, insroduction, when it was dis
covered that a reasonably good syrup could
he produced from it, and that too ct q COM
psrativsy small cost and evidently in very
bungling, laundering manner, and IT results
SO marvellously happy and compensating fol-
lowed the above manner Of handling it, many
considerate and publ spirited persons
thought, what will he the result of this, when
the plant is properly understood, completely
acclimated, thoroughly cultivated, and our
scientific men elaborate a method OF fully de-
veloping the sugar-producing qualities.
Every one fully believed that sugar could
be produced from it OF excellent quality,
and in paying quantities, this was tue gen
eral belief for a time, but the modes was the
trouble. Some of our chemists assayed to
test it's Qualities as sugar producer, but for
want of skill to manipulate anylitical
chemists, failed to de elOpe its true charac-
tor, and thence arose some doubt as to wheth-
or it would produce sugar, some contend
ing that it does not contain any cane sugar
at all, nothing but grape sugar.
Many reports have been made upon 1t by
sorghum conventions, many articles have been
written on the subject, like "a bow drawn
at venture" but unlike il, missing the mark.
Its capacity for producing tolsrable syrup
was established beyond doubt, some OF the
states producing enough to supply the dehelt
from the New Orleans market during the re-
bellion. The state of Illinois for instance,
making twelve millions of gallons In one
year, or upon an average OF about seven gall
L. nd in IA
state q large average indeed for each, tar
more than would be consumed, and as a con-
sequence she would have some to export, and
the enterprise just In its infancy, discouraged
and met at many points by the doubts and
distrust thrown over it by those experiments,
who like the Alchemist tried to made gold out
of something else than gold cane out of
grape sugar. If such were the results under
doubt and disoour agement, what would be
the point of success she would reach if she
were able TO convert into sugar seven TO eight
twelfths of all the syrup that could be made
from ripe cane. If | were 10 predict the re-
suit, | would require certificate for sanity,
but suffice TO say that she could sweeten
every state In tue Union.
In our most successful days of sugar pro-
ductIon OF all kinds, We were large impor-
ters of sugar. consuming much, very much
not been more than third or fourth class IN
this production.
LIZ Ali he states below the isothermal
hae produce a. sb,ve claimed for illinois,
and tne resuits would be most astounding, for
we Instead 0t lnporJtng could export more
sugar than - produced III ali the islands of
the ocean.
And why should we not do so? for it is
one OF the simplest things IN the world TO
make sugar from ripe sorghum. If you treat
II right, you can hardly prevent It's forming
named indeed 1t cannot be prevented from
crystanz.ng without any special efforts To do
SO.
The great trouble hitherto has been to
know what is contained in sorghum Juice
and the appropriate defecator and evaporator
to separate and remove all foreign matter, so
as to bring within the reach of the laws of
capitalization all the crystalizable sugar.
lG has been ascertainsd by fine an Y Ietic-
al chemist that ripe chinese cane juice con
tains from IA to 16 per cent. of true crystal
liable sugar. In its unripe state II contains
grape sug gar, and when still less ripe-starch
But these are finally converted into cane gu
gar in the process of ripening
Many persons contend that the cane will
not ripen far north as Pennsylvania, Ohio
cui lsdtion, but it must be remembered that
In any and all of these states, it may be
planted from two to three weeks earlier than
corn.
But, ali, says one, 1.-THE frost will catch it
and cut it down" Well suppose it does, just
let 1t grow up again, for the root has so much
vitality that 1T will bear the ground to be
frozen an inch deep, has age vigor and will
rIpen It's panicle before the frosts of the fall
catch 1t. So experience teaches us.
Remem Der, ripe cane produces caue sugar
and In amount sufficient to satisfy the Bug
gest sugcr tooth in the land. An acre of cane
that will produce two hundred gallons of
syrup, in density equal to twelve pounds to
the gallon, the writer will take, and manu-
facture from twelve to fourteen pounds of
good sugar, land from fifty to seventy five gal.
Ions of excellent syrup. entirely free from
that peculiar sorghum flavor so common to
that now made. This, at three cents per
pound tor the sugar, and twenty five cents a
gallon for the syrup. will yield more to the
acre than corn ordinarily does on the best
lands of Illinois
just for moment stop and consider the
Importance to the United States of an inven-
ton of this kind, the riches, wealth, sweet
ness, and comfort that must flood in upon US
as Its legitimate results. And yet this in
vention and discovery has been made, ..and
thoroughly tested for two or more years, by
one OF the purest minded men in our country,
whose integrity stamps truth" upon all that
he says, and whose scientific attainments
fully qualify him to lead to success in this
important enterprise. That man is F. L.
Stewart, OF Westmorelsnd county, Tennessee.
And his invention and enterprise should lead
to more important and better results trusting
bis own interest in the common good. than Is
generally allotted to pioneers in matters that
so entirety and vitality affect the public well
are. Mr. Stewards evaporation and his &C
adiuncts should be in use In