The Weekly Kansas chief. [volume] (Troy, Kan.) 1872-1918, 1881-03-03
for the farmer.
SUGAR FROM soReHur
yr. Charlie. Beieher's Report 20 the Mer-
chants Exchange.

ST Louis. February =, 1S5l.-Geo. ii. Morgan,
Esq, Secretary Of the Merchants Exchange
| DEAs. SIR:-I received your note through Nj.
| l. A. Hedges, requesting me TO 90 with him. and
examine samples Of sorghum sugar, and report
| thereon.
found at Mr. Hedges Office one barrel of sor-
chnm syrup, and one OF unpuTged sorghum su-
gar have samples of each, which have been
| tested 10y the polariSeOpe, and which hand 10
| yon The unpurged sugar, called ''nush SUI
gar or 'miladO," j. the cane juice boiled to n
| density at which the sugar in it crysfalizes.
| or this twenty pounds were taken frUm the bar
rel in my presence, were put into MIR. Hedges
Centrifugal, and the Inolasscs swung out OF II.
| The result was eight pounds Of very dry sugar,
OF good quality and twelve pounds of molasses,
samples of which also hand you.
The tests, by the po!ariscoPc, were As follows:
Mlado unpurge sugar per cent
Sugar, FROM unpurerd sugar s9S per cent
c MolRsses frum unPur-ed sugar -----i9 per cent
ID sorghum syrup al per cent
The polarization OF this sugar is equal to that
of well-drained Louisiana sugar, or fair refining
| Cuba, MuscovaiO sugar, and that of the mo-
lasses is little less than the average of Lonisi-
| ana and Cuba molasses. The sugar is of quail
ity that will sell readily for consumption, at a
good price, and the molasses from il is Of very
| satisfactory quality, and saleable. The sorghum
syrup is of fine quality, light in color, sweet,
and Of good flavor.
This syrup and unpurged sugar came from Mr..
Clinton Bogarth, of Cedar Falls, Iowa, who
writes to Mr.. Hedges, with description Of his
mills and apparatus, and mode of manufacture.
His apparatus is very simple in its plan and ar
rangement, his cane being ground in a common
horse mill, and the juice defeated and evap-
GRATED in fiat metal pans over an open fire. The
different pans are arranged and set over the ire
much like open kettles on Louisiana sugar
plantation, and his system of working is much
| the same. He speaks of twenty-one years ex-
perenee with sorghum, which seems to have
brought him just where the Louisiana old pro-
cess planters stand. The bulk Of his crop was
sold in syrup, of which he made 1900 gallons
That sugar of good quality has been produced
from sorghum, in a number of places admits of
no question, and such sugar and syrup as this
from Mr. Bogarth, is of quality that Will read
lily command good market. The quantity that
Tan he produced, and the certainty of the crop,
are yet unsolved problems In Louisiana, the
out-turn Of sugar and mOasses for market, from
the unpurged sugar. as boiled in open kettles, is
% to % per cent. of sugar, and 40 To 10 per cent
Of mnlasses. (Where vacuum pans are used, the
pFOpartiOn of sugar is much greater.) In this
sugar from Mr.. B0garth, tie relative proportion
is 30 per cent. of sugar, and 60 per cent of mo-
lasses. This Is much less favorable than LOnis-
ana sugar culture, yet, if similar Ont-tun cOn!d
be relied upon, the industry certainly would be
worth the attention of farmers in this section of
country, and be worthy of the fostering care of
the State Government.
have no personal acquaintance with the cul-
ture of sorghum, or the manufacture of sugar
and syrup from it-have never the manu-
facture of either article going on, and from my
own personal knowledge and experience, am not
prepared to express any positive opinion as to
what can he made of this industry. These are
questions that need to be solved before it can be
an assured success, and whether they can and
Will be solved by the agency of uneducated and
isolated efforts by individual farmers, without
extensive losses to some of them, may be doubt
sd. The manufacture of sugar from anything
but maple sap requires skill and experienced
Judgment to insure success. / understand that
there are a number of varieties of sorghum,
some succeeding in some Soils and some in 9th
ers, and there are probably soils where none will
succeed. There is enough encouragement in the
experience of many farmers to give them conf
dence in the future of the business, rs an impor-
tant and successful industry, while with others,
probably the majority, their experience has been
entirely discouTaging. What makes this differ
ence, whether it is climate, SOIL variety of cane
grown, the manner of cultivation of manu-
tacture, Or something inherent in the plant
itself, | am unable to say, and with regard to it
am not prepared to offer any opinion.
Very respectfully yours,
CHAs. BELCHER.