New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-06-12
EXPERIMENTS NTH SORGHUM.
REWARDS OFFERED FOR REPORTS FROM MANUFAcT-
URERs.
rBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRTBUSE.l

fBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRrBUSE.l
WASHINGTON, June 11.-COmmissioner LOring
has issued circular letter TO the manufacturers OF
sugar from sorghum, beets and other sugar produc-
ing plants in the United States, in which he says:
Congress in the appropriation for this Department
1882 has provided for experiments in
the manufacture of sugar from sorghum beets
and other sugar producing plants, 90; IN
assuming sthe duties of amy office In 1881 1Ound
135 acres OF sorghum containing tftytwo varieties
which had been planted III washington Tor the use use
OF the Department. 1 f1ost be eGITs beng
sufficiently ripe for use and this portion OF the crop
was 80 badly damaged as to be unit for maituiact-
ure The yield of cane per acre on the nlnety-three
acres gathered was two ana a nail IONS, the mum
Der of gallons of syrup obtained was Zy|, ana the
number of pounds of sugar was 100 The expense
of raising the cane SG,5S9 40, and the expense
and sugar was 81 ,667 80 an aggregate
OF So 557 OF. The manufacture of sorghum at the
Department. therefore, has been found to be 80 eX-
pensve and unsatisfactory, that The work can evil
IDENTIFY be better conducted elsewhere
While therefore, such scientific investigation as
il deemed necessary at this Department Will be con-
tlnued the experiment of manufacturing can better
be conducted by those who have thus far furnished
us all the valuable information we have; and tins
work refer to the manufacturers themselves, 10
whom submit the following proposition:
Each manufacturer is requested to submit an &C
count of his work to the Department, covering the
following points, WIZ
Tirst-An accurate account of the number Of acres
of sorghum brought to his mil the number OF tons
of cane manufactured the yield OF sorghum per
acre the mode Of fcrtlZing the time OF planting;
the time required for maturing the plant ana the
value of the crop food for cattle after the juice
has been expressed. -,
SccOnd-Ih he amount of sugar manufactured the
amount yielded per ton of cane the quality OF the
sugar the amount of syrup manufactured; tie pro-
cess of manufacture; the machinery used; the sue
cess of the evaporatOr; the vacuum pan and the
centrifugal in the work of manufacturing
Ihirl-lhe number of hands employed in the mill
the cost of fuel the cost OF machinery ; the wages
paid tor labor and the price of sorghum at the mill
If not raised by the manufacturer
The returns when received, will be submitted to
a competent committee for examination and In
order TO compensate the manufacturers tOrthe work
Of making these returns propose to pay for the ten
best returns the sum of $1,000 each, the decision
to be made by the aforesaid committee.
Each return must be sworn to before competent
officer.
The circular also requests statements relative to
experiments with the sugar beet, and offers Sl,2OO
for the two best returns of that crop Ii also states
that promises OF cOrn-stalk sugar since 1871, not
having been fulfilled experiments in that direction
will not be made this year by the department. All
the proposals to enter upon this work must be lald
before the Commissioner Oh or before August L,