Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1865-02-18

which If so, makes 1t very valuable IN TN
climate. 1t has a short bushy head, see
very large and productive, stalk short an
slender. He plants both early, and late, t
lengthen the manufacturing season. Tn
Oom-see-a-na ripens in ninety days. TIL
writer thinks Nee. a-za-na is a fine variety
and ripens in three months; stalks short an
stubbed, and ranks among the best of cane
for sugar or as syrup. he regards the Boom
vwn-a as a most excellent variety whicl
ripens as early as the Boom-vwan-a and is
very sweet and juicy cane. .Boom-v-wann ha
= very tender juicy stalks. The writer ais,
gave description of severl other varietie
which we have not space to publish.
Seymour Carver writes from Homer, Wis.
that he prefers the Chinese variety to any he
has ever seen. Says it makes a lighter
colored, better tasting syrup than any other
4 and more of il. He thinks if it is not plantet
early it is of no use to plant it. He soak;
the seed forty-eight hours in warm water
| then plant quick at about the same distance
as corn. He used plaster last year with good
results to hurry it ahead of the weeds in its
first stages. Intends to plant fifteen acres
next season.
On motion, a committee of three was APP
pointed to examine and report upon the diff
/ ferent varieties of seeds on exhibition.
Mr.. Skinner urged the propriety and neces-
sity of forming a State organization for the
promotion Of general information in relation
70 Sorghum growing.
The convention proceed to the discussion
of soils best suited to the growth of saccha-
rine matter, and the preparation of the same.
The speaking by any one member was linn
tied to ten minutes.
Mr.. Corwin thought that a sandy soil would
not produce as much saccharine matter as
heavier soils; the juice is generally not quite
as sweet on clay as on sandy soils. He
thought fresh barn yard manure detrimental
to sorghum, causing an unpleasant taste.
Clay soils he thought, produce the most syr-
up; has abandoned much manuring and uses
well-rotted manure, and thought lime or
ashes beneficial.
Mr.. Boyce thought the subject of manuring
a mOOted question; that the difference in
soil made a difference. A light soil he
thought would yield better crop by manur-
ing.
Mr. E. w. Young planted on old land with
out manuring-raised it on the same ground
three years in succession used manure last
year and the seed came up quicker and grew
faster than before and he saw No difference
in the quality of the syrup, and he had more
syrup th0 ever before. A neighbor had
some Sorghum on both MANFRED and unma-
nured ground had the most syrup from the
manured ground of just as good quality on
a southern slope he had a splendid crop on
MANFRED land the soil was sandy loan the
manure used was rotted straw fromsthe cow
yard. He used the Chinese Sorghum variety
Mr.. Boyce thought Mr.. Young's testimony
was Important, as the general testimony here
tOfOre had been against manuring, except on
light soils.
Mr.. Willey's testimony was that manuring
rich bottom lands injured the taste, and an
extensive observation had shown him that
manuring sandy soils improved them.
Mr.. Seward, of McHenry Co., H., thought
that manure applied to sandy or clay soils, as
well as plaster; ashes and all alkalies were
advantageous. Have had good success in
raising Sorghum on meadow lands; the de-
composing sod seemed to improve the growth.
He thought clay land should be well ma
nured; never had raised good cane on poor
land found leached ashes a good FERTILIZER.
Mr.. Youngman had used plaster with good
success, got better yield of cane and syrup;
thought fresh manure Objectionable, but
thought previous years manuring a good
thing. An objection to manuring was that
the chintz bugs took all of his that he ma
nured.
The question was asked if chintz bugs
would effect the taste of syrup when or the
cane? The general opinion was that they
would not.
Mr.. Seward raised splendid crop last year
on an old barn-yard, and favored manuring.
His soil was sandy.
Mr.. Underwood, of Avoca, saw some last
year which was highly MANFRED with fresh
manure and tasted so badly as to be worth
less The people in his section had conclud
ed that sandy soil is much the best for SOr-
ghum; that well rotted manure was good but
that fresh manure would taste in the syrup.
Mr.. ClasOn, of Beaver Dam, planted with
and without manuring, and his MANFRED piece
was much the best.
Mr. Whitson MANFRED clay land heavily
and saw no unpleasant taste. There was
much more testimony on this subject, the
bulk of which favored using cid well rotted
manure except on porous land where the air
can get to tie manure aud rot It.
Mr.. Yule planted white Imphe; had $50
gallons of syrup per acre on unmanured land
and $50 gallons per acre on MANFRED land.
He favored manuring.
Mr.. Haight thought that the great variety
of soils in the Northwest would prevent ar
irving at any very definite result in this dis
cription. He thought to raise good cane he
would not manure land that would bear fifty
bushels of corn per acre. He had MANFRED
poor land for cane with good results. He
was of opinion that the conclusion would
be eventually arrived at that it was some
thing besides manuring land that caused dark
poor syrup.
Mr.. Gridley favored light soils for Sorghum,
land should be in good heart; thought new
prairie or hazel brush lands the best.
Mr.. Young thought land should be thor
oughly titled for Sorghum.
The question was asked if any had tried
manuring Imphe Mr.. Baldwin had received
double the yield on maRured land that he
did on unmanured. His soil was sandy.
Mr.. Gridley thought Sorghum and Imphe
should be treated alike. He thought cane
should be nearly ripe to get the greatest
amount of syrup, and he favored rich soil.
The following resolution, offered by Mr..
Young was adopted.
ton that the growth of the different varieties of
the Sorghum cane is not limited to any particular
variety of soil, and that well decomposed vegeta-
bic or animal manure, and also lime, plaster or
ashes are beneficial on the poorer kinds.
Mr. Youngman had "sugar-cane on the
brain, f" and thought the point was, what va
riety would best mature in this latitude. He
had small variety of Sorghum which would
mature in ninety days, and preferred it to the
the larger kinds, which required four months
to mature. The Rockford convention last
fall adopted the white or gray Imphe, an
early sort, which could be raised in one hun
dred days. He thought the kind should be used
that would fully mature in the climate where
we reside. 1t would be safe to try small
uuantity of new kinds but the general crop