The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-12-05
SORGHUM SUGAR.

When the sorghum sugar cane was in
troduccd into this country by DR.. Peters,
if we recollect right, of Georgia, some
thing over twenty years ago, and its cul-
tivation widely disseminated through
out the Middle States by the irrepressi-
BILE enthusiasm Of Mr.. Isaac A. Hedges,
then a resident of this city, much conf
dence was felt in the new staple, and the
prediction made that sugar growing in
the United States would within few
wears be revolutionized. This confident
expectation was not, however, imme-
diately realized. While the sorghum
ard the imphee canes succeeded admira-
bly, in the fertile lands of the
Middle States, and to some extent
as far north as the lakes, in ripening and
developing their saccharine juices, the
processes for converting this product into
true crystals of sugar were not discovered.
Very excellent syrups were obtained, and
this was converted into glucose or grape
sugar to limited extent, but the meth
ods resorted to never achieved the result
desired of producing true cane crystal
lization. Very early in the history of the
sorghum cane culture in the United
States, Mr.. Blymyer now of the
Blymyer Manufacturing Company of
this city, devised mechanical
device which greatly aided
the publication of cane juice
during the process of inspissation, and
enabled the ordinary farmer to produce
really beautiful and excellent syrup
from sorghum. Mr.. VIM. Clough, for
merly of Madison, Ind, and more recent
ly of this city. now deceased, but gen.
tleman of rare scientific attainments
made discoveries also in separating cane
juice from the impurities that it holds
on being expressed partly from the cane,
and it was hoped had solved the riddle of
producing cane sugar; but the secret
eluded him as it had others.
The claim is now put forth from the
Agricultural Department at Washington
that the problem. of making good mer-
chantable sugar by simple Process out
of sorghum has been solved, and that the
practicability of the undertaking has
been demonstrated beyond question. If
this claim is indeed founded in fact the
event is among the most important
achievements in the history of the Gov
ernment. The sugar annually imported
into the United States exceeds in value
$1OO, 100000. DR.. Collyer, the chemist
of the Agricultural Bureau, es imates
that if one-tenth the acreage planted in
corn in the State of Illinois were devoted
to sorghum and the product con-
verted into suyar that this limited
area is capable of producing an amount
of the saccharine staple equal to our
present entire importation. Nor is DR..
Collyer's enthusiasm by any means un-
warranted if, as we observed above, the
result which is claimed is really accom-
plished. The area for perfectly produc-
ing the sorghum sugar-cane extends
throughout the entire United States
south of line passing through Central
Ohio, and there is great deal raised
even as far north as Cleveland. 1T is in
habit of growth much like broom-corn,
and may as easily be produced by the
farmer on any land that will grow that
or corn. Therefore, if the process has
been discovered of producing true cane
sugar from its juices, then the era of
cheap sugar for the people is solved, and
source Of great National wealth secured
to the American people.