The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1866-02-21

10 week, 20 cAlIdtb HDAi N"io 4'i'l- Hl"-
tiers of general interest. It will prove a
work OF great value, and should be in the
hands Of every progressive farmer, who de-
sires to excel in the cultivation Of crops. or
In stock raising:
NEW CROPS.
Under this head may be- placed crops, the
Introduction Of which into the state j. com
tentatively recent The most prominent Of
these - .t.
has been more or less cultivated in this
state. for the production Of syrup and SD
gar. for several years. II has attracted 20
much attention. and 50 much has bOen pub
lished In regard 10 il, that 10 is unnecessary
10 occupy space with general remarks. II
seems 10 be the opinion Of persons best
qualified 10 Judge in the case that so TAR a.
regards the production OF q substitute for
mOlasses the manufacture 81 sorghum syr
ND nav be considered established in a large
portion OF this and other Western states.
There IL less certainty in regard 20 the
profitable production Of sugar, and further
experience only can fuliy settle the ques-
ton.
To John Richard, Esq, Of Tecumseh,
who has given much attention 10 the cult
walton Of sorghum and It's products, ] am
indebted for valuable information IN regard
70 the present status Of this business Ia the
State. Uuder date Of November lith he
writes a. follows:
"The season just past has been remar-
kably favorable for the growth Of sugar
cane and the quantity anu quality Of syrup
manufactured throughout the state has
been unusually large and good. Wherever
there have been failures they have been
owing 10 want OF proper care in harvesting
and securing the cane.
"Tne amount OF syrup made in this
State this season, may be safely estimated
at 400, 900 gallons IL is early in lhe sea
son 10 report on sugar. A far a. know,
sugar has been made In some Instances
from the OtaheItan cane, but none ~ yet
from the Chinese
"There has been much Improvement in
the culture Of cane and in the manufacture
OF syrup, during the past year. TIE husi-
ness IL yet in It's infancy, and although
there are many difficulties connected with
It, the enterprise aud ingenuity OF the pe0-
pie Of the Peninsular State are fast over
coming them all
Much loss has been sustained by the
Introduction Of worthless varie les Of cane.
called early varieties; most Of them pro-
duced by a continuous planting OF seed
raised in the state. But the farmers are
now mostly we'll informed as 20 the best
varieties, and are dlscarding all others
much 20 the discontinue of spectators in
seed.
"The southern tier OF counties have been
engaged in growing sugar-cane and manu-
featuring syrup and sugar Tor several years.
During the past year 10 has been introduced
l.. .Ht
awassee and Genesee counties"
Tob0cco.-The cultivation of this crop is
extending in the State the high prices
caused by the late war greateiy Increasing
the inducements thereto. I'm the absence
Of statistics 10 IS impossible TO estimate the
value Of this product. The quantity which
can be produced 10 the acre seems % be
equal % that obtained IN most other sec
tiOns-a ton being good yield. Whether
the quality OF that grown here. though said
TO be good. will ever equal that Of the Con-
neticuf valley, remains tu be- seen. Some
attempts 10 manufacture cigars from Michi-
gan tobacco Indicate that the crop can
thus be turned TO the best account. Me-.
M. X. North, OF Lansing has had cigars made
from tobacco grown on his farm, winch. 20
is stated. sell readily at satisfactory prices.
Rhub0rb. Under the attractive name ol
'wlne-plant. " the cultivation OF rhubarb
Rkeurg raDhOHftcum Of late years
been considerably extended. particularly at
the West. From the Juice of the leat-slaiks,
combined with sugar. "a liquor called wine Is
made. In some OF the central and south
ern counties OF this State the business has
been engaged in somewhat largely. The
principle OF the adage. thai &C. A rose by
any other name Will smell "a sweet, seems
10 have been ignored m tins case-the wine
makers apparently surprising that rhubarb-
juice under some other name would not be
quite 50 sour.
IL Is hardly probable that this sO-cllled
wine eau long find market 90 any cOnsid-
cradle extent. especially under the con
stantly Increasing production. casualties
excepted. Of wine from grapes. The iact
Is fully established. that varieties of grapes
which make excellent wine. without the
addition OF any substance whatever 10 the
juice. will ordinarily mature perfectly over
large portion OF this State. In view OF
this fact, It IS not easy % see any induce
ment for attempting the production of what
at BEST can be only an inferior substitute
for real wine. As for the speculation in
rhubarb roots under the name above men
toned, IL is merely a hnmbug OF even low
er grade than multicaulis," or white
willow"
ADVANTAGES or MICHIGAN FOR TUE FRO
DUCTION OF FRUITS.
Afier abiding To the favorable location of
Michigan "a TO tho 0dvanta .cs of "a fruit
market, having on the east, the seabOard
cities and the Canada market, and on the
west the important and growing markets Of
Chicago and Milwaukee, and 10 the protec-
ion which fruit raising has in this tate,
from the forests, and the bodies OF gater
by which the State Is surrounded. Lake
Michigan imparting much heat. making
the temperature at Grand Haven from ten
10 twenty degrees higher than AZ Milwaukee
during the winter months, according 20
the statement of Rev VIM VI. Ferry Mr..
Howard says:
The result upon vegetation is what might
be expected-that the more tender species
ore often injured on the other side OF the
lake when they escape on this side, rs de-
mOnstrated by the production OF peaches
along our western shore. n fruit scarcely
seen In the same latitude on the other side
OF the lake. With the shelter of trees aud
the comparatively mild winter temperature
caused by the lake, the peach crop is con-
sldered one OF tolerable certainty in several
OF our western counties.
Experience has proved that even on the
most sandy soil on our western shore peach
es will do we'll. Old residents there state
that the crop was nearer 4 failure this year
than they ever knew il 10 be before. Yet
there were peaches all along the coast rs
lar north as BenZOnia, from which neigh
oornood some were exported such il the
confidence teit in the certainty anthprofit of
this crop. that IN some sections. particular /
~ in Ottawa county. considerable land has I
changed hands within Few years b be de- /
voted 10 peach treeS-plantatiOns of ten
to twenty acres aud upwards being fire..
Quently met with.
How this sandy land will do for other
fruits remains TO be proved. Ii is proper
10 state, however. that the results of some
experiments which have been made in ref
erence 10 the production Of pears. are thus /
lar hlSniy favorable. Rev. ". NJ Ferry. of
Grand Haven, has twenty acres in one
l.