The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1869-04-14
Sorgh um.
DIRECTIONS FOR IT'S CULTIyATIoN--
A VALUABLE PAPER.

The following instructions for
the cultivation Of sorghum have
been furnished us by Mossrs Lewis
Wilhelm T. Johnson, of this city,
and will be Of great interest to
persons who contemplate the cul-
tivation Of sorghum this year.
Thcre is no longer any doubt of
the fact that sugar can be made
successfully and profitably by the
now process, and we advise farm.
ers to give the following q careful
perusal.
When we assert that a superior
article Of syrup and a fair article
of sugar can be made from sor-
ghum canes we know that we
have all kinds Of projudiccs and
objections to meet. We can only
meet these objections and over-
como these prejudices by the as
sistanco Of farmers who are will
ing to give sorghum fair trial.
TO do this they must begin by
procuring and planting pure seed.
This need not be urged upon those
who have planted pure seed and
made a gallon Of syrup to four or
five gallons of green juice, while
it takes from seven to ten gallons
Of juice Of hybredized canes to
mako ono gallon Of very ordinary
syrup. There is no other remedy
for this falling off than tho plant
ing pure, well manurcd seed. In
order to procure good seed the
cane must be carefully cultivated
for tho seed alone, aud not for the
syrup, by allowing the seed to
mature and dry on the stalk in
the field.
a year ago we paid as high as
siXty.fivc cents per pound for seed
to distribute gratuitously y to far
mers. Last summon we had the seed
cultivated by careful farmers. We
arc prepared to fill orders for pure
seed ut cost price. We do this.
hoping to remove tho prcjudiccs
and make the cultivation Of sor.
Ghum u success.
IN planting, We advise farmers
TO avoid, lis mncl, az possible.
black, mucky soils if planted up.
on bottom lands ut all, it should
be dry, sandy soil. Very rich
soil any kind is not favorable
To the production Of light syrnps.
Good land, not foul with weeds,
should be planted in drillS.. AS
much Of the cane should be al.
lowed to stand as the ground will
bear. Ofthis farmers must Judge
for themselves. a large over
grown stalk is not the best for
syrup or sugar, but the medium
or even small stalks are better
than the largo, rank cano often
seen Of rich soil If tho soil is
not good or is foul the seed should
be planted in hills.
Sorghum while growing requires
very close attention until it is
we'll started, and then it will leave
weeds and everything else in tho
background. The seed should be
prepared first by cleaning and
then by pouring warm water over
it until covered two thrcc inches
in the vessel. IF well stirred the
Light chatfy seeds will rise TO the
surface, which should be removed.
The vessel should then be set in a
warm place until the hull Of the
seed shows II disposition to burst,
then tho seed should be spread
out until nearly dry, and in this
condition should be placed in the
ground. If tl.is plan is strictly
observed every seed will grow
If planted in drills ono seed in a
hill is sufficient. If planted in
bills two to five seed arc all that
is needed.
The ground should DO wcll pull
vcrizcd. The best way is to throw
two furrows together and plant
the seed on the ridge. 1t should
be covered as lightly as possible,
and the cane will appear in Il few
days. 1t will require careful nurs-
ing for q short time, but it will
soon become strong and will over
come all obstacles. 1t should not
bo "thinned" too much. let as
much grow as the ground will
support.
The bcst varieties Of cano for
syrup arc the old fashioned Chi
ncse, or black top, and red top, or
Liberian cano. The most success
fnl for producing sugar, 50 far as
yet demonstrated, is tho Oomcc-
anna, or black lmphoc, or African
variety.
These fow hints will suffice for
tho proscnt, but boforc tho cutting
season wo will publish n oamph-
let containing minute directions
for harvesting the cano and man
ufacturing the syrup, so that where
thoro is sngar naturally we may
have the benefit Of it. We will
also give directions how to make
tho skimmings and waste profita-
hIn n al, 1nf ,,,;I1 nhor, han,