Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1879-12-10
A WEST VIRGINIA INDUSTRY RE-
VIKING.

NlN1N6.
The process of making sugar from
sorZum is yet in its infancy. At one
time it promised to become an establish
ed and valuable product of West Vir-
ginia. 1t covered one or more fields on
nearly every farm, The cane-lnill and
the syrup making were as common
among our farmers as the old corn and
cob mill or the corn-husking.
But they suddenly disappeared. The
familiar sight of field of sorgum is now
a rare one. The farmers were disap-
pointed IN the general result. They
were satisfied with the quantity but not
the quality of the sugar produced. 1t
was not pleasant to the taste. 1t
spoiled their tea and coffee. The
sorgum flavor was supreme in every ar
ticle of diet or drink in which 1t was
used. IL was not marketable and being
unpalatable to the producer himself, its
production was naturally abandoned.
But, as we have said, this-was only a
crude experiment. 1t does not prove
that the cultivation OF sorgum is a fail
ure, or that the time is not near at
hand when every farmer OF this and
other States will make his own sugar
and syrup and some to sell, with very
little trouble IL Is very natural that
the unskilliul methods employed for
making the sugar should have
produced an inferior quality,
rank in its taste, and in every respect
undesirable as an article of diet. The
refined and delicious qualities OF sugar
now in general use would not be much
better than sorgum, if subjected to the
clumsy process our farmers use in pre-
pairing the latter.
Even the farmers, however, have
learned something of late toward utlllz-
ing sorgum. An association composed
entirely OF farmers and experimenters
has been organized in the West for the
purpose OF solving the problem OF max
ing sorgum profitable. They held a
meeting at s.. Louis a few days ago, at
which the samples OF sugar and syrup
exhibited prove that very considerable
progress is being made. The
sugar exhibited is reported to
have heeu of light brown and Of even
color; above all it had fine flavor and
was pronounced to be suitable to all the
purposes OF raw sugar. 1t was stated
that the Objectionable tineness of grain
can be easily overcome, as, in evapora-
ton, the crystals can be made large or
small at pleasure. The syrup was dark
colored, but free from the raw, green
taste urged against sorghum syrup a few
years ago, and quite as palatable as the
average of Louisiana molaSScs. There
were reports of successful syrup and
sugar-making from Missouri, Illinois,
Iowa, Minnesota, Arkansas, Pennsyl-
vania. Wisconsin, Utah, Texas and New
York, the product varying from 100 to
200 gallons of syrup per acre, equal 600
to 1000 pounds OF sugar per acre. One
of the delegates, irom Iowa, planted one
acre Of the red-top variety and cut from
it 25l tons Of cane, which yielded 26O
gallons Of dense syrup, equal to 300
pounds Of sugar. Ii seems that ordina-
~ Indian corn possesses nearly as much
saccharine as sorghum. Experiments
showed that when planted in drills
three and a-half feet apart and cut when
in tassel, it yielded 10 to 10 pounds OF
sugar 10 the square rod, which is ut the
rate of 600 to 2,4OO pounds per acre. 1t
was estimated that good understandable
raw sugar can be made at a cost OF y
cents a pound.
These facts certainly indicate that a
very important measure OF success Is at
tending this line OF industry, and prom
ises 10 revive it all over the country,
and make it very profitable part Of our
farm produce. The cane is easily cult
waited. In West Virginia it hourishes
equally as Well as Indian corn, and
would be quite rs choice crop to the
farmer ii he could make good
sugar out OF his cane. But il the
business becomes general, as it promises
to DO, necessity will lead to the estab-
lishment of neighborhood sugar houses
and refineries, at which the juice OF
syrup will be taken to be converted into
sugar, Just "a the farmer takes his corn
and wheat to the mill to be converted
into meal and flour. There is an open
ing for such enterprises now IN West
Virginia. Ii those who understand the
process will come and make the sugar ior
our farmers they will furnish them all
the material they want.