The Hawaiian gazette., 1882-10-18
Balraiiatt Gazette.
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER Is, 1882.
vJer.eE sugar Farm.
HAMrrON, Va, sept. 4th So.

ANevJersey Sugar Farm.
HAMPTON, VA, Sept. 4th 1882.
| Ep1roR GAzErTE-I enclose an interesting
article in the production of sugar from Sor-
ghum. The subject is ,.iracting much atten-
lion in the Northen States. Naturally it
would, inasmuch as the country consumes a
4 vast amount of sugar and very little is pro
duced in the country itself. There is one
paper published in it. Louis Member devoted
to the Sorghum interest The late Commits
sioner of agriculture, General lie Due gave
much attention to it, but the means put at his
disposal by the United States Government
were not sufficient to accomplish much. Some
yery interesting, and in a measure, successful
experiments were made,in the vicinity OF WASH
ington. The subject was finally referred to a
| commission of scientists, of which Prof. Sill
man of New Haven was one. This Commits
sion reported quite favorable, and declared
their belief that the Northen States would in
| time become sugar producing. General Lor-
ing, the new commissioner of agriculture, IN
stead of continuing the experiment, has issued
circular offering number OF premiums OF
about 81 200 each for the best report on prac-
teal results in producing sugar from this
| cane. On the other hand pamphlet has been
recently published asserting that lngus can
| not be profitably made in this way, and claim
ed that beet root sugar is the "sugar of the
future" However, number Of persons in
| different parts of the country claim great
success in this manufacture That the Sor-
ghum cane yields the juice is not disputed.
About 100 gallons of molasses are obtained
from an acre, and this is worth about fifty
| cents per gallon. If sugar can be obtained
from this of the value of $50, it will probably
pay to go into the business. The cost of rails
ing Sorghum is not more than that of cultiva-
ting corn, about So per acre. If cane OF this
kind can be planted and will mature in SIX
months, and sugar can be satisfactory produced
| from it, it will result, one would suppose IN
its cultivation in the Hawaiian Islands. 1t
pays TO raise cane in the Eastern and Middle
States where the product is twenty bushels to
the acre, valued at $40, and if Sorghum sugar
can be made to do a little better, it will be
extensively cultivated. AS the only difficulty
in making this sugar is the right method Of
getting it to crystalline, it seems if the
avoidance of that difficulty would be only
question of time. Whether Sorghum sugar
can or can not be profitably made, one thing
is sure that the production of beet sugar will
be vast in the United States within the next
twenty-five years. Several factories tor this
purpose are now in successful operation.
The farmers are conservative, but when
they once become convinced that there is any
money in it, they will push the production
with all the energy which thrifty farmers have.
The capital in the cities is getting tired OF
three per cent interest, and will 60 into this
l.. ~ flo for,
W. n. Armstrong.
A half-dozen miles above Cape May, along
the West Jersey Railroad, some twenty-five or
thirty farmhouses, chiefly rather ancient ones,
are strung out along the pike. To this stray
Cling stretch of bucolic abidiDg-places the
name Of Rio GRANGE was given many years
ago. When Northern capitalists undertook
the production of molasses and sugar, sugar
cane was discarded and sorghum was used in
stead This is planted from the cane seed,
which it produces, as does any other cereal,
in the form of boards or heads. But inasmuch
as there are at least eighteen varieties of sor-
ghum, some of which contain comparatively
little saccharine matter, great many original
Northern planters, after considerable assidui-
ty and patience, were rewarded with crops
which could only be utilized as cattle fodder.
This obstacle having been overcome, another
and more insuperable one was met with for
while from the saccharine matter finally evolv-
ed molasses, and even molasses-sugar could
be manufactured, yet capitalization could not
be effected and sugar could not be produced.
1t remained for Charles H. Hilgert, the re-
Gently defaultiDg Philadelphia sugar refner,
and his chemist, Henry A. Hughes, after num-
berless experiments, to discover certain Telia-
bic methods to secure the much-desired crys-
utilization. Previously sugar crystals had
been produced in the North, but it had ever
been matter Of accident. One effort might
be successful, while the next dozen attempts
would prove failures. Mr.. Hilgert and his
chemist succeeded, however, in reducing the
factor Of uncertainty in production to mini
mum. This obstacle having been overcome,
they looked around for a tract Of land where
the conditions of soil and climate were adapted
to the raising of sorghum. Cape May County
having been strongly recommended, because
Of the dryness of its soil, it was decided to
settle therein, and in 1880 a temporary sugar
refinery was constructed at Benefits Station,
two and half miles below Rio Grande. A
small piece of ground was planted with sorg-
hum, and a fine crop was raised This was
passed through the various processes necessary
to sugar production, and the result was sue
cessful beyond all expectation.
Quite large brick refinery was Immediately
constructed at Rio Grande, which was fitted up
as completely as can be found outside of Cuban
refinery. To insure the production of crop
by the neighboring farmers, bill was passed
by the New Jersey Legislature, offering pre-
MUM of one dollar per ton upon each ton Of
cane produced by the farmer, and premium
of one cent per pound upon each pound of
sugar manufactured by the refiner Eight
hundred acres were planted with sorghum
seed by the neighboring husbandmen, and a
fair crop was realized, but the cane from only
$50 acres ever reached the refinery, the bal
ance being used by the farmers for cattle fod-
der, a drought having rnined the corn crop
pretty thoroughly. The venture Of 1881, while
not as satisfactory as had been anticipated,
was so eminently profitable that immediate
steps had been taken looking to an extension |
Of the enterprise Before another year, and it |
was concluded to combine the work of produc- |
ton with that of manufacture. Accordingly |
the Rio Grande Sugar Company was incOrpO- |
rated, with George A. Potts as President,
James B. Scott, son of the late Col. Thomas |
A. Scott, as Treasurer, and Charles NJ. Hilgert |
as General Manager. Immediate measures |
were then taken toward securing sufficient land |
for planting purposes. Farm after farm was |
purchased outright, until fifteen hundred acres
in all passed into the hands of the company,
Of which LOCO acres were placed under Guilt
walton. The plantation was divided into four
sections, each under the charge of foreman.
just now the plantation is in magnificent con-
dition, as the cane is fast approaching ripen-
ed stage. Much OF it is ten feet high, and
some is even considerably higher than that.
At the present time there is no cane even in
Virginia which has attained so forward a state.
The small lot of orange cane, especially, is i'll
splendid condition, and next year this cane
will be almost exclusively used in place of
amber, as the latter does not usually grow to
50 large size. Within week, probably, the
cutters will go into the fields, and the work of
will begin. The process of cutting
is double one. Not only is the stalk cut
down, but the top, containing the seeds, is also
cut off. About the same number Of bushels Of
to the acre is produced as of any
cereal. Thousands of bushels will, therefore,
be threshed out. Comparatively small por-
lion of this year will be required for replaIting
next year, but large quantity of the seed
will be sold 1t ia used in the manufacture Of
starch and glucose; also, when ground, as q
Jour, similar to buckwheat, for baking pur-
loses.-[ Philadelphia Press.