Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-01-13
SORGHUM CULTURE.
Exhibition Of Machinery and San H.
81 pies Of Syrup. sH

.fY g,es. WARREN, Ills Jan
DIRECTS OF THE CONVENTION,

compare views and form intelligent opinion
| IA to the progress being made in a knowl
edge Of the subject, and also 70 ascertain
| what has been accomplished in the way Q
improved sorghum manufacturing appli
ances. * T. ..s,l. L,..,,. ass.
TIE INTRoDUcTIQNs ,,9 OF THE SORGHUM
~ This Is comparatively new field. 1t i
bat few year since the sorghum plant wa
introduced in the United States, in the hop,
that its cultivation might prove success
and the people be thus rendered indepen
dent of foreign prodecers The supply q
sugar and melasses was Of course cut of b,
the war, and the necessity became impera
tive for the discovery of some means BY
which great public demand should be sup
piled. Attention was thus naturally turned
to the raising Of sorghum as the only prac
ticable substitute for the sugar cane; 1T il
not longer ago than 1855 or 1856 that sor
ghum seed was first introduced into thin
country. sl 2aF 9ss-lo1 Z i.lssfa4
A a37e VARIETIES OF THE PLANT d
There are severel varieties of cane, bu
none of them are natives of this soil. There
is great diversity Of opinion among those
engaged in its culture as to what is the besi
Variety The Chinese is generally held in
the highest esteem in the Northwest, The
chief difficulty in the way of successful cul
tivation is found in the liability there is ts
the mixing of seed, and to the impurity
or worthlessness Of the seed itself.
DEMAND FOR AND PRICE OF THE SYRUP
1t is impossible to state, with any degree
| Of certainty, the amount Of syrup niantifac-
tured annually. 1t is yearly increasing, az
the inventions for manufacturing become
multiplied and more perfect in their, opera
tions. The average price of syrups is from
eighty cents to one dollar per gallon, accer-
ding to quality, and finds ready sale at these
figures. d1a 5idas'F.a- n
After noticing the organization of the Con-
vention and giving some resolutions adopted,
of no particular interest to the general read
e., the reporter proceeds to give an outline
bs,., A GENERAL. DISCUSSION.
The order of business called for discussion
of the sorghum question generally as next in
| regular course. =,
Mr. Tampher, of Rush, rade some. re-
marks upon the preparation of the soil for
the successful culture of cane. He favored
the application of manure or fertilizers in
the fall upon old ground He thought it ex-
pedient to ridge the land, especially if the
soil were wet M ylis slieHt
Mr.. Youngman, of Rockford, coincided
| with the views of Mr.. Tampher., He IA
vored manuring the year previous to plant
ing. He found the most essential point to
be to have the best of seed and the earliest
varieties, inasmuch as there was not an aver
age of more than three and one-hah months
of cane-g growing weather. The earlier va
rieties had not so much juice as the latter,
but they admitted of closer planting, 30
that the amount of syrup per acre was in the
end about the same. He believed in soak
ing the seeds, and had got his cane up
through the ground in five days from the
time of planting. hls ia3s bsiaia t5ai I
MI Hill, of Tennessee. did not think the
rich loan of the soil suitable to the culture
Of cane. He thought surface and drill
planting the best methods The variety Of
seed was the all-important point, and he
used nothing himself but the old Chinese
cane. tfa; ..r..,;7
Mr.. Backus, Of Rush, said he had been
quite successful in the raising Of cane, but
he did not think il demanded a rich soil.
He had tried hill and drill-planting each,
and thought he could get one-third more
syrup from drill-planted ground than from
ground prepared in any other way. The
land must be thoroughly narrowed. Il was
from the elevated high grounds that the
best results were attained. ~ ssf.
Mr.. Townsend, Of Rush, spoke in regard
to the variety of seed, and the kind of ground
most suitable for cane. He had attempted
its culture in very rich ground, and was Of
opinion that the poorer qualities ofsoil we're
the best. Cane bore transplanting well, and
th1ght il an advantage.
! NJ. j. Youngman, Of Rockford, briefly
expressed his position, stating that the white
imphee was the only seed worth planting.
THE EXHIBITION OF sYRUPs AND
MACHINERY.
An examination was had Of the various
products which had been brought in for in
spection. There was large exhibition Of
samples, the sugar and syrup being equal TO
the best that is imported or manufactured
from the ordinary Southern sugar-cane
There was also fair display Of machinery
used in the manufacture Of syrup from the
crude juice. Two mills for crushing the
cane were shown-one of them was made on
the Turner Il Silliman patent, of Freeport,
and the other by Z, w. Skinner & CO.. Of
Madison Wisconsin. -Four evaporators we're
also shown by W.. Jacobs Of Columbus,
Ohio; John w. Youngman, Of Rockford
Clark & Utter, Of Rockford; andL- Brink,
Of warren. .aaes1 dsid ~ lssif; ha - /
Mr.. Jacobs, of Ohio, said that the cane
plant is very delicate and Of slow growth;
very susceptible Of influence from the va
rious conditions Of life for plants-lighs,
warmth and moisture. Cultivation, by pull
yerizing and loosening the soil, should be
continued until the cane is about three feet
high. Its successful cultivation depends
very much upon the season IL must be
planted at the proper season--not 20 early
as to be stunted BIZ the cold, nor 50 late in
the season as not 70 have sufficient time 70
mature If not foul with weeds, 1t should
not be cultivated above three feet high, and
should be harvested when the seed begins 10
ripen, before the saccharine matter begins 70
take the form OF starch. IL 1t cannot be
worked Immediately it should be cut up and
shocked In fact, this method oftreatment
il, in my experiences, better than to work too
early. Some Of the watery matter escapes
while in the shock, but very little ofthe sSc-
charine principle escapes for several weeks.
Mr.. Hafhwsy, Of Guilford, indorsed what
had been said BY tbs former speaker, and In
addition said that cane IS not much injured
By light frosts, provided the cane be cut al
ter the frost; in fact, the syrup made from
frosted cane is preferred by some. 'f7-
II. V. Brown, Of Warren, said that he 10
favorable to Getting up, ON account Of the
shortness Of the season in this country, even
If the stalks are frozen; it il no injury,
Some prefer the flavor Of syrup made from
cane which has been frozen $500 .idrs
MAxgFAoTtREzG AND MAcHINEsY. y
On motion Il was resolved that exhibitors
Of machinery be allowed .cnly twenty min
utes each for the exhibition Of their ma
Machinery Of various patterns was ex-
hibited. First an evaporation, Mr.. Young
man, Of Rockford; second, one BY Mr. Ja-
cols, Of Ohio third, one by Mr.. Brink, Of
Warren,--and several Others Each party
claimed superior advantages for the evapo-
rssor represented BY himself The merits Of
the machinery will sssested by those inter-
ested On motion, the Society adjourned 70
the csB ef the executive committee.
The Angusts fGa.j C5sa1,aicaaiisf states
that the National Bank rscenfly started in