Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1880-11-12
Agricultural.


sugar.
The results of the experimental attempts
that have been made by humorous parties,
the past season, to manufacture sugar from
Amber cane, or some other cultivated plant,
do not appear rs yet, to prove that sugar can
be made at homo cheaper than il can be
brought from tho sugar producing countries.
Several acres of sorghum were planted near
White River Junction, mostly by N. Il. SAT
ford, treasurer of the State agricultural soci
ETY.; but so little Of it grew that no attempt
was made to manufacture it into sugar. The
most favorable reports that we have seen from
the New England States come from 7. T.
Gold Of West Cornwall, secretary of the Conn
ecticut Board Of Agriculture, and d. j. Ellis
worth of Windsor, Conn. The latter grew
ten tons to the acre of Early Amber cane,
from which he has made an excellent quality
Of syrup at the rate Of 100 gallons per acre.
If the cost Of manufacturing is not too great
lGO gallons per acre would pay as well as an
average crop Of the usual farm products on
land in high condition. But we are not likely
to get large quantity of sugar from this
source until some one makes it pay better
than the ordinary farm crops. 1t is hardly to
be expected that the best results will be at
tanned from first experiments. Possibly an
improvement in the method Of manufActur-
ing, or in the variety of the cane, may yet
make the production of sugar from this source
a profitable business.
The experiments of Commissioner lie Due
and Prof Collier seem to prove that ton of
corn-stalks will yield from co to 100 pounds
of sugar and molasses. Prof. Collier says:
ut is by no means improbable, that, by care
full selection, varieties of maize may be
grown far surprising any now known as su-
gar producing plants. At present, as in the
past, all Efforts in the cultivation Of maize
tend in quito another direction, and with re-
suits highly satisfactory" There is good
reason to believe that certain varieties of
sweet corn may be found to yield a much
greater amount of sugar than has been OBJ
tanned from the common corn operated upon
in the above experiments
Sugar has been made from the stalks from
which the corn had been picked. If an acre
of corn will yield, besides the grain, from 500
TO 1000 pounds of sugar, why is not this dou-
BILE crop secured from the great corn-ields OF
the West? We do not hear that farmers are
turning their corn stalks into sugar. Perhaps
there is some difficulty in the process of man.
ufncturing, or in determining the time when
the stalks contain the maximum quantity of
sugar, that it will take time and experience to
overcome; or, possibly, something that can
not be overcome, that renders the project of
making sugar from corn-stalks entirely i'm
practicable.
The immense quantity of sugar that is now
produced in France and Germany, from the
sugar beet, gives encouragement to its cul-
ture as a sugar-producing plant in this coun-
try. It is true that several attempts to man
ufacture sugar from beets, in this country, on
a large scale, have proved failures; but few
factories are still in successful operation, CIV
ing promise of permanently establishing the
business. The Maine beet sugar company
expect to manufacture this fall about 2,OOO,-
900 pounds of sugar and molasses. They are
now working night and day, employing q
force of 1875 men. They have 10, 900 tons of
beets engaged. The product of this factory,
if it reaches 1000, 900 pounds, seems large
of sugar in the United States that fifty such
manufactures would hardly make percepi-
BILE difference in the whole supply. They
would make only about five per cent. of the
whole quantity consumed in the country,
which is now nearly 1000, 900, 600 pounds
an average of 40 pounds to each inhabitant.
The consumption of sugar has largely increas-
ed within the past few years, and it is still in
creasing. In 1880 the average quantity an
nually used by each person was about nine
pounds. We use more sugar than any other
country. In 1880, in France, the amount
used averaged only two pounds to a person.
The people of former centuries knew com
paratively little about manufactured sweets.
1t is only in modern times that sugar has
come to be considered necessary part of the
food of every family.
Though the quantity of sugar consumed is
still increasing from year TO year, there must
some time be limit to this increase of con-
sumption. If its use should increase in the
same ratio for the next fifty years that it has
during the past fifty years, the average annual
supply of each individual would then be about
l7j pounds 1t would be absurd to expect
this increase TO continue much longer, as this
may be considered near the limit of the ca
pacity of the human stomach for sweet.