The People's vindicator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1874-1883, 1881-02-19
Cane Sugar ut the North.

In the report Of the Commissioner Of
Agriculture recently issued for the year
1879, the chemist of the department gives
q detailed report of the Government ex.
periments made in raising sugar-canes,
and of the results obtained therefrom.
The varieties Of sorghum grown and
subjected to continuous investigation
during the season. were Early Amber,
White Liberian, Chinese and Honduras.
The points chiefly brought out are:
At what period in the growth of the
plant does it contain the greatest per.
centage Of sucrOse or crystallizable
sugar; whether it is most profitable to
press the stalks before or after they are
stripped of leaves; what percentage of
juice, and of sucrose, Is contained in the
butts of the stalks, as compared with the
tops; and how do different varieties Of
sorghum compare with each other and
with field.corn as producers Of sirup and
sugar. These points are not formally
made, but are developed in the course
of the report.
AS to the first point, it appears that as
the plants advance toward maturity
there is q steady diminution Of glucose,
or uncrystallizable sugar, and steady
increase Of sucrose, or crystallizable
sugar. For this reason the sucrose is at
its maximum at full maturity, "as indi-
Gated by the hard, dry seed, and the ap-
pearance of offshoots from the upper
joints of the stock" It 80 happened
that a severe frost occurred October 20,
sufficient to create . half-inch of ice on
water, but the analysis made immedi'
ats)y afterward showed no diminution
of sucrOse until q thaw occurred, wher
tho sucrose lessened and the glucose
increased. "From this it would appear
that the effect of cold, even protracted
is not injurious to the quality Of tn
canes, but that they should b'
speedily worked up after freezing, ant
before they have again thawed out.
In early amber cane the percentage o
, Juice was greatest July 26, when tn
flower stalks began to spread, but tn
average per cent. Of glucose and sucros
together at that time was only 10. go
while on October 20 it was 1871. Sigh
variations of this result occur in the 9th
1 er varieties, but the general result is tn
= same. The early amber and Liberia
!. correspond very closely in the period {
= their developement, but the Chinese an
}. Honduras are considerably later in a
tanning the period of greatest sugar COZ
e tents, and are not so well fitted to OF
$. northern climate. The average sug.
,, ,. contents of the first two is very nearly tt
'ee same from the middle of August to Il
y last of October, thus giving ample tin
Ii for working up. the canes.
to The experiments with the butts Al
y u tops of the canes seem to have resultt
re- in nothing very remarkable. In tt
I'd early part of the season the butts natu
Of ally contain the most sugar until t
ne seed has reached the milky state, VIII
or the juices in both parts Of the plant a
&c pear to be of equal value. Later I
to there is q slight deterioration in t
liz quality of the juice from the lower b
in OF the stalk, the roots and leaves fall
"! vs. to supply the amount of nourishment
eli quired, thus showing that they are
se- fected by incipient decay. The ststist
", va of yield of cane and strip and sugar q
in not As definite and satisfactory Is co,
ne be desired. The following table exhib
the results actually obtained:
he Pounds of stalks SiIu
lru per acre. obtain
no Chinese sorghum. ........%S!8OO
ny. Iiberian sorghum. ~
inc Early amber Sorghum. ..3!, AIS
are Honduras 80, uI,nm. CT; ISL 3
~. aaa.