Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1883-06-30
soReHuM suaAR.

The Hon. George B. Loring, United
States Commissioner Of Agriculture, in his
address before the Mississippi Valley Cane
Growers Association, at St. Louis, short
time since, called attention to the effort
made by the Department to manufacture
sugar, and TO point out the way by which
sorghum can be raised as an agricultural
crop, and by which 1t can be converted
into sugar as a manufacturing industry.
He reproduces the statement in his report
TO the President, November %, 1881, from
which, in brief, it appears that his prede-
cessor had purchased machinery and appara-
tus, appointed several additional chemists,
made contracts for raising sorghum, and
that Loring found growing 1875 acres, %
varieties, and hired can expert in sugar
making who was highly recommended,
etc. The result was 4 SOB pounds of cane
per acre from 924 acres, the raising of
which cost ST. $50 10 The mill produced
2,977 gallons OF syrup and l65 pounds of
sugar, at a cost of 81 667 SO. This aggre-
gate cost Of IS, 257 o. does not include
wear and tear Of machinery or interest on
outlay. We don't blame the Commits
sioner for saying that the result was very
unsatisfactory, and we think it would be
as well for him to leave the manufacture
Of sugar to private enterprise, where it be-
longs.
Kansas alone made, in 1881, no less than
3 500 40 gallons of sorghum, worth
81, 745, ST. IS, from Is. CPS acres. 1t is
also used n that State for stock feed, "a a
substitute for corn, and from 500 to 800
pounds Of beef Tive weight can be real
lied from az acre il September, October
and November, using no other food what
ever. Hogs fstten fast from July till Sep
tember on it, and can be kept III good
growing condition all winter. At the sugar
works at Champaign, Ill, the molasses
made ia alleged TO compare favorably
with New Orleans molasses. From
twelve and oAe.hzif acres Of orange
cane these Champaign people made
1900 pounds sugar at s cents, S76S and
l. $50 gallons molasses at 40 cents, $3.50,
total product 81, S4S, and the entire ex-
pense, including interest on capital and
wear of machinery, was S705 81, leaving
net profit of 1888 4G, or $50 g. per acre.
We believe that this is too low net
profit, for the figures show 3 gross pro-
duct of sl07 81, and the expense can be
reduced. But if the Kansas farmer,
without costly mill and scientific pat
ents, can make $36 an acre on an aver
age for the State, and if the Illinois mill
can make at the rate CT $50 an acre after
buying cane by the ton at figures salts
factory to the farmer, what 10 the use
of the United States Department
of Agriculture trying TO develop that
industry by raising two and half tons to
the acre, and making 81 ,204 worth Of mo-
Iasses and sugar from 931 acres? That is
a gross product of 81 Sc, whereas the
Champaign people made Sl07 81, or more
than eigh5 times as much per acre. We
have selected he best figures produced at
Champaign. They are extreme, but the
mills averaged that year SIG per acre OF
everything aaa did not save the seed
Il we add SO low price IS $40 per acre
for the seed, we have $S6 Tor years
average. The Rio Grande Sugar Com
pany, of New Jersey, put IN COS acres
of cane, five or six miles from Cape
May, in the spring of 1882, and the
President on November Sih estimated
the probable result az G, 600 tons of cane,
$50 barrels Of 6Tst eugar, and 30 900 gal
Ions Of molasses Commissioner Loring
states the product of the Rio
Grande works for 1882 at 3d.
GOO pounds Of sugar and 10000 gallons
of mOlassss. Assuming that this is gross
value Of S4l, 500 from ], COS acres, We have
8 gross result of Sal 10 per acre, which is
less satisfactory than the Champaign re-
cult, but Is quite satisfactory enough TO
prove that the sorghum industry is on its
legs, and that costly experimentation to
develop it May be abandoned by the Gov
eminent TO private hands.