The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1881-03-04
Middlebury Meeting Of the State Board
Of Agriculture.

hoice of e. s. Dana Of New Haven, as
Mr.. Pringle was invited to tell of his
botanical experiments.
Prof. Collier of Washington d. O.,
Urged him to do so, az his experiments
lad resulted in valuable acquisitions to |
he agriculturists, and 60 what he did
was of interest to all farmers, whether
in Vermont or elsewhere.
Mr.. Pringle objected to give lis his
experiments, because they frequently
failed. $500
Prof. Collier remarked that IL was
often quite as instructive and valuable
10 those engaged in agriculture to know
Of failures as of success, for they were
thus guarded against loss from similar
Mr.. Goodwin of the board was called
upon to tell of the silos he had visited;
by giving information before
published.
Prof. Collier remarked that he had
talked with Prof. Brewer and Prof
johnson, and nothing as yet had result
ed different from the SUCCESS expressed.
There had been surmises that diseased
cattle might result from tho feeding of
ensilage, but as yet nothing of the kind
had been developed. He hoped and
could see no reason why we should not
expect much from this method, as much
was lost In the drying of corn fodder.
Mr.. Chapman asked If the souring
was any actual disadvantage to the fod-
der as food2
Prof. Collier, in answer, replied that
the first step toward assimilation was
that of fermentation, and with proper
ly constructed silo that fermentation
would not 20 far enough to injure the
nutrition contained in the food. He re-
marked further that dried cornstalks,
which when green contained IA per
cent of sugar, contained but 1-2 per
cent of sugar when dry. If those stalks
can be preserved In silos intact, the adj
vantages will be very great; but the
largest amount of sugar is found in full.
ly ripe corn. He believes that while
it might in reality contain more nutri-
ZION at this time, that much would be
lost in drying, and 1t became questiona-
BILE about the time to cut 1t for feed, and
IN earlier cutting might be desirable.
1t ia, perhaps, possible that in some wa,
cornstalks can be dried without material
loss, but his experience would show loss
There is in reality little If any difference
in the amount of sugar contained In the
different varieties Of corn; the sweet
ness that is the characteristic of sweet
,orn is not sugar, neither exactly starch,
nut a chemical compound, for some
limo overlooked.
AFTERNOON SESSION.
The chairman introduced Prof. Col
Her of Washington, whose remarks
were prefaced by some remarks of DR..
Cutting showing the value of his pre-
vious teachings to Vermont farmers,
Prof Collier then remarked that we
should produce our own sugar. In fact,
The amount of sugar used By us Is more
than equal to the entire production OF
all the mines of our Pacific coast. He
has been at work on the experiments
with sorghum for three years. He
commenced his experiments on four
varieties, and the examinations contin.
ued at short intervals through the sea-
son. The result of the first examination
showed in the case of each variety thai
the amount of sugar In the Juice was
chiefly uncrystallizable sugar or glucose.
subsequent examination showed con.
slant increase of sugar and decrease
If glucose until maximum was reach.
ed, which was found to be at the time
The seed was fully matured. At this
time the percentage of sugar was fully
equal to the sugar cane of Louisiana.
AT this period the remainder of the crop
was cut. the juice expressed, and the
sugar obtained at the rate of ton OF
sugar of excellent quality per acre for
three varieties, and at the rate of two
tons for the fourth. The increased
Weld from the latter variety was due
to the larger size Of the sorghum to
the acre.
In 1880 the above results were fully
confirmed by repeated examinations OF
these four varieties and of the thirty
four other varieties grown upon the
grounds of the agricultural department
at Washington.
There were also made last year SINH
lar examinations of nine varieties of In
dian corn. The result of twenty.six ex.
aminations showed an amount of sugar
present in the juices of these different
varieties greater than was present in
best hall of sixty samples of sugar beets
grown In various parts of the country,
md sent to the department for examin.
alton.
In one experiment there was obtained
from the stalks from which the
thoroughly ripened ears of corn had
been plucked, at the rate of one thous.
and pounds of sugar per acre. This
experiment fully confirms the result OF
the previous year, which was received
with incredulity. After q crop of six.
ty-nine bushels of good shelled corn
nine hundred and sixty pounds of sugar
per acre were obtained from the stalks.
In reply to numerous questions from
the audience, the following facts were
elected:
That the cultivation of four acres OF
sorghum is attended with no more ex.
pense than the proper cultivation Of one
acre of sugar beets, while the product
of sugar to the acre Is fifty per cent
larger in the sorghum than with beets
while the pressed stalks Of the sorghum
would be far more valuable per acre
| Cor fodder, if preserved in ensilaRe, than
The pi essed pulp of the sugar beets.
VCiHut ioh WCiSht, thC piSooSu bldihe
are Of equal value tor fodder with the
impressed.
The facts given by Prof. Collier were
we'll received by an attentive audience
and the following resolutions were of
fered:
Resolved, That we hereby tender the
thanks of this audience to Prof. Collier
for his able, interesting and instructive
address.
Resolved, That we heartily welcome
him TO Vermont, both socially and In
his professional capacity as chemist and
teacher.
Resolved, That while we regret his
removal from us, and feel deeply the
loss sustained by our state, we copgrst.
nlate him upon his good fortune In Sc.
curing more desirable, broader and
moro useful field of labor.
RESOLVED, That we recognise and
appreciate tho value of his services to
the country, and wish him success In
his good work.
The meeting was opened in the fore.
nnnn nf tho 0hth no tho aacrafarx- Dr