The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1879-02-13
ADDRESS OF HON. s. II. KENNEY.
Delivered Before the State Agriculture
al Society Febl nary 4, 1879.


tested by your members the past year in bring
ing the sugar industry before the people of
this State, has given an impulse to this new
industry, whsch have always believed would
in time be second to none in this State. Twenty
years ago we commenced on the old varieties of
cane known by the name of ''sorghum." 1t
was dark, strong syrup, and fifteen years
with varying success we never made fine ar
ticle. The last five years We can report prog
rcss until we have made sugar in large Cuanti-
ties, and in this unfavorable season, the most
so in the five years, have had barrels of sugar
granulate almost solid mush sugar, and had it
not been for the unfavorablc season, sugar
would have been made much more cx-
tensively all over the State. Not all
of my sugar cane last season granu-
lated, but about twenty large barrels
granulated largely. Three of them are now in
this city, and l shall be pleased t" show the
friends interested the product, and all this is
natural granulation. II the wood is dry, and
the evaporator OF the right construction, and
the care in good condition, the syrup if thick,
will surely grannlate.
1t is u wrong principle to buy what VIC can
raise SO chcaply. One hundred and sixty gal
Ions per acre is an average crop here in Mime
sOta and III some cases much larger yield.
The number Of acres in amber sugar cane the
past season far exceeded any former year.
Almost every mail" brings letter telling of
some one that saw the amber sugar at the State
fair. This shows that State fairs do Il large
amount of good.
l first found the product of the amber cane
at the Rice county falr. pronounce it 4 safe
crop-much safer than wheat, as l have not
lost a crop in the last five years that l have
planted the amber cane. Can as much
be said Of wheat? A man known to Col.
Taylor, who owns two refnerics. who visited
Minnesota last fall once tested our amber cane,
declared it was richer in saclarne than the
Louisiana cane. The report and labors Of the
chemist ut the agricultural department the
past season were very favorable and will be
known soon. do not say these things because
the enterprise needs any probing up.
But to give our farmers light on the subject
shall at this time try to give y"u my views
in as plain way as possible, 50 that l think
any man can with usual intelligence make 4
COED article Of syrup or sugar. l shall lIake
my estimate ON small machinery and recon-
mend beginning in q small way at first Pre-
pare the ground about the 18th of May as Tor
corn, mark out light three and onc-half feet
not more than one half inch deep with packed
soil and on common level, about ten seeds in
hill. 1t is much easier to pull out little
than not to have good stand. When the cane
is mp enough to follow the rows do not let it
be till the weeds get we'll started but immc-
the hills; this kills the fine
weeds and gives the young cane such start Of
the weeds as to enable the crop to he plovyed
with fine tooth cultivator, and if planted in
check rows both ways leaving but very little
work to be done with hoe
This crop till three and Il half feet high re-
quires the same treatment as corn. Leave from
five to seven stalks in a hill. 1t should not be
cultivated after it is three and half feet high
as the roots would then be injured 50 as to make
the cane ripen later. Those planting cane
should give their order early for the machinery
not to be too late. In boiling the cane Juice
it should not be pressed out much ahead of
your wants, an it is very perishable in warm
weather. As the nights become cooler the
Juice will keep much longer, and here is a very
important point that the climate of Minnesota
in my opinion is much superior to the States
south of us in securing good granulation, as
after the cane ripens the cool nights and davs
in the fall serve to keep the cane in good con-
dition for weeks, until the crop is secured.
The cost of cultivation of one acre of
cane, allowing good compensation for
labor, would be about 33 per acre. Stripping
and hauling one acre, $S. 81 SO for plowing
making $l7 so, the price of one acre of corn,
acre of good corn will make not far from ten
loads of one ton each.
do not think that it impoverishes the soil
to any great extent, as have raised nine crops
in succession on one piece of land. At the end
OF that period l realized 25 bushels of wheat
per acre, and would have had it seeded five
years to grass, then crop of corn and the
next season the amber cane, and this long cul-
tivated land gives the very best results in gram
ulation.
sent a barrel Of this sugar to St. Louis, and
a barrel of syrup, which the st. Louis refinery
are now testing. The cane was not to its rich
ness when cut. In fact, think it was the
most unfavorable season we have had, but We
have learned some things from the cane grow
era of that section that will change our entire
proceedings another season. We have learned
hat we can trea the cane Juice 70 as to coag-
ulate and settle all the impurities and remove
all distractions to drainage, and from samples
here present, it does not show the process i'll
its true light, as syrup reduced tive-sixths by
water and then reboilcd. 1t is so long over the
fire it changes the color; also tho taste. But 1
think can show You that we have made prog
ress, and regret that we were so long finding
such valuable aid.
and 'lasses." / must say am very fond of the
nag, in these hard times for money; and more
30 as I am able to get a better price than any
other syrup brings in the market. DIR. Bond
brings the charge home that Miller and are
the fathers Of the business. will say this:
the Minnesota carly amber cane is the legiti-
mate offspring Of the st. Paul chamber Of COM
merce and Minnesota State fair; and I am
prouder of the ''chiId'' from the fact it Is able
to stand on its own merits 40 young. My con-
stituents never could have sent me to the Min
nesota legislature to make laws. But Justly
recognizing that 10000 gallons Of sweet this
fall in Rice county alone would, in the fail
ure of the wheat crop, atone for lack of brains.
! have never heard a man say that we had not
made perfect SUCCESS but one man at the
State fair. He told us we could not have made
that sugar, we must have bought it. Should
this man visit my house he wonld have to give
me credit of having considerable money if I
bought all have on hand.
We find that not all of our granulated sugar
drains readily, berause some has more impuri.
ties than the other, but in the new process, the
juice being treated, we get rid of what has
been the great obstacle in sugar making. I
have tried the solution Of Dr.. Stewards, of
Murraysville, Pa, and pronounce it sue
caAH.