Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1879-02-05
Evening Session,

The meeting of the State Agricultural societv
at the capitol last evening was not largely at
tended, owing to the fire and the legislative
committee meetings that were in session m to
late honr. MIR. J. s. Harris was called to the
chair, and on taking his seat called the meet
ing to order. aud stated that the first thing in
order would be to listen to an essay by the
Hon. Seth II. Kcnney, of Morristown. Rice
county the pioneer sugar grower of the state
Mr.. Kenny then stepped forward, and, for a
half hour, entertained the assemblaee on the
cultivation of the amber sugar cane and it's
manufacture into syrup and sugar.
Hls address was as follows:
MR.. KENNy's ADDRESS.
Mr.. President and gentlemen of the Mime.
sofa Agricultural society: The interest mani
tested by your members the past wear in hr;nn-
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 wears
with varying success, we never made a fine ar
tlcle. The last five years we eau report prog
ress until we have made sugar in large ouant
ties, and in this unfavorable season, the most
80 In the i've years, have had barrels of sugar
granulste almost solid mush sugar, and had it
not been for the unfavorable season, sugar
would have been made much more ex-
tensive]y all over the State. Not all
OF my sugar cane last season granu-
lated, but about twenty large barrels
grannlated largely. Three of them are now in
friends interested the product, and all this is
natural granulation. If the wood is dry, and
the evaporation of the right constructions and
the care in good condition, the syrup if thick,
Will surely granulate.
1t is a wrong principle to buy what we can
oh 0-o
Ions per acre is an average crop here in Mime
sofa, and In some cases much larger Weld
Inc number OF acres in amber sugar cane the
past season far exceeded any former year.
Almost every mail brings a letter telling of
some one that saw the amber sugar at the State
fair. This shows that State fairs do a LARGE
amount of good
first found the product of the amber cane
at the Rice county fair. pronounce it a safe
crop-much safer than wheat as I have not
lost crop in the last five years that have
planted the amber cane. Can as much
be said of wheat? A man known to Col.
Taylor, who owns two refneries. who visited
minnesota last fall. once tested our amber cane,
declared it was richer in sacharine than the
Louisiana cane. The report and labors of the
chemist at the agricultural department the
past season were very favorable and will be
known soon. do not say these things because
the enterprise needs any proping up.
But to give Cur farmers light on the subject
shall at this time try to give you my views
in as plain way as possible so that I think
any man can with usual intelligence make a
good article of syrup or sugar. shall make
my estimate on small machinery and recon-
mend beginning in small way at first. Pre-
pare the ground about the 18th Of May as tor
corn, mark out light three and one-half feet
apart each way, plant in check rows and plant
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
dIlately -, stir the dirt around
the bills; this kills the fine
weeds and gives the young cane such a start of
the weeds as to enable the crop to be plowed
With fine tooth cultivator, and if planted in
check rows both ways leaving but very little
work to be done with a hoe.
This crop till three and half feet high re-
4uires the same treatment as corn. Leave from
five to seven stalks in hill It should not be
cultivated after it is three and q half feet high
as the roots would then be jured So as to make
the cane ripen later. Those planting cane
should give their order early for the machinery
SO not to be too late. In boiling the cane Juice
it should not be pressed out much ahead of
your wants, "a it is very perishable in warm
weather. As the nights become cooler the
juice will keep much longer, and here is 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 days
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 a good compensation for
labor, would be about SO per acre. Stripping
and hauling one acre, 49,, 81 Sc for blowing.
making $l7 80, the price of one acre of corn.
drawn not more than quarter of mile. One
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 I have raised nine crops
in succession on one piece of land At the end
of that period realized rs 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 cnl-
tivated land gives the very best results in gran
ulation.
l sent barrel of this sugar to St. Louis, and
barrel of syrup, which the st. Louis refinery
are now testing. The cane was not to its rich
ness when cut. In fact, I think it was the
most nnfavorable season have had, but we
have learned some things from the cane grow
ers of that section that will change our entire
proceedings another season. We have learned
that we can treat the cane juice 50 as to coag-
ulate and settle all the impurities and remove
MI distractions to drainage, and from samples
here present, it does not show the process in