The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1881-02-25
The Comm IssiOner Of Agriculture OH
Hucar-Makiug I'm Virginia.
For the Dispatch


Messrs. Editors,-As IN addendum to your
article in YOUR issue OF the oath infant on
- A New Industry" permit me tQ say that
I CONSIDER the manufacture OF sugar from
sorghum an assured success, and also from
our common cOrn-staks, though the sweet
varieties (Stowelrs Evergreen Sweet Corn
is used 10 Pennsylvania for making sugar.
would Weld more sugar. Carloads OF sugar
have teen made the past season from sor-
ghum in the western States and IN Penn
sylyania. ANALYSIS proves sorghum TO con-
tam nearly as much sucrose (sngar-produ'
cing) as the ribbon cane. and there seems
every reason why Louisiana should
substitute the former for the latter,
because there two crops OF sorghum
can he grown in a season without
any danger from frost, a. there is as regards
the cane. Sorghum can be grown al h6itum
in every State that grows coru with less
cultivation and expense than corn, ana WIN
less exhaustion of land than corn. Even III
Virginia, by early planting on ricn lanu'
we can get two crops of sorghum. In TINS
connection quote from DR.. Collier, chem
lat TO the United States Agricultural De-
pirtment, from remarks made before a
meeting OF the American Agriculiurai As
ISOLATION, New York, February D, 1881.
DR.. Peter Collier, OF Washington, made
some interesting remarks concerning the
valuable process OF extracting sugll from
corn.stalks and sorghum. He said:
"During the past year there have been
examinations made OF thirty-ei2ht varieties
of sorghum grown in and received from
fourteen different States, and from nine va
rie,ies Of Indian corn. The results from
analysis made, 1913 in all, OF the sorgbums
showed them TO yield on an average 662
hounds of available sugar. From four OF
these varieties the sugar was extracted IN
quantity and at rate OF fully 1000 pounds
Der acre. As to the cOrn-Stalks, the results
we've most satisfactory, but the experiments
were not so numerous as with sorghum
An average OF twenty.siX analyses OF
the nine varieties examined showed
them to contain in their Juice an amount OF
sugar greater in quantity than the average
OF the best thirty specimens OF Sixty specl-
mems OF sugar-beets grown IN Inherent parts
Of The country. After large crop OF ripe
corn had been gathered the stalks yielded
at the rate OF over 900 pounds OF sugar TO
the acre, and there appears no reason TO
doubt that this result could be obtained
upon a large scale. In view OF these re-
suits feel justified in saying That there APP
pears no reason to justify Us in importing
sugar which would not justify our impoita-
ton Of corn aud wheat"
Think OF 900 pounds OF sugar per acre
from refuse corn-stalks. Any desired IN
formation on this subject, no doubt. can be
obtained from General lie Due, United Stat 5
Commissioner OF Agriculture, particularly
as regards machinery and process OF manu-
facture. ] may add that the Early Amber
variety is the fsyorite sorghum in the West
for sugar-makng. 1t comes In earlier than
the other varieties, and will bear later plant
ing on this account; but the Honduras Is
much more productive, and consequently
will yield most sugar per acre. Another
important inducement TO prosecute this in
dustry is that all the seed OF the sorghum Is
saved, which is said To be equal in value TO
the same amount of oats, and tue yield OF
seed is very considerable; and, in addition,
| all the plant is saved to be returned to the
Iand-nothihg being carried OFF but the
sweet principal. which is Of little manurial
value.
Or. Blanton Informed us that he made in
| Cumberland in 1879 yery'g0Od sugar from
sorghum with the Old implements formerly
used for making molasses.
We should think DR.. Golfers statement
would put quietus to bcet-sugar manufac
ture, certainly for Virginia. General lie
| Due estimates that the farmers in Maine
only net Sl5 to 1913 per acre in raising beets
| for a large sugdr-manuiactory there. The
| importance OF this subject to our fdmers l.
nv apology for troubling you with this com
municdti0n. Respectfully,
TIL. POLLARD,
Commissioner Agriculture.