New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-10-11
INSPECTING A SORGHUM FARM


VISIT OF THE CHINESE AMBASSADOR AND OTHERS
TO THE RIO GRANDE COMPANYs FIELDS AM
WORKS.
IRON AN OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUNE
Rio GRANDE, N. j., Oct 10.-The story Of
the rise and Of the sorghum ugr business here
has been 60 often told that there is no need
to repeat It in detail. All the world re
members how General lie Duo was set down
for "cornstak sugar lunatio" for entertaining hope
full views OF the proposed industry 80 profoundly was
his affected by the prevailing seepticism that
he led to assert that "sorghum has
killed one Commissioner and am de-
termlned that It shall not inurs me-" and DR.. Collier
the Department chemist, whose investigations had
demonstrated theoretically that sorghum had econom-
cal value as sugar producing crop, was removed aud
disgraced so far such removal could disgrace him.
It remained prove that the facts established by Dr.
Collier in his laboratory could be turned
to practical account on a large scale, and that
IS what the Rio Grande Company has accom-
pished under the stimulus Of State bounty. The
company 200 acres OF land with apparatus which,
while working well within its capacity, Is
boiling $4,000 gallons Of expressed JUICE
daily. In very round numbers the thousand
Of land under cultivation this year will yield
10000 tons Of and 100000 pounds Of sugar, to
say nothing Of the mOasses.
The fundamental fact established by Dr. Collier was in
DITCH IudL inc lnhAlLuuL1 Ul sugar can only 10
produced when the crop ia dead ripe There Is need
therefore, of sacrificing value 40 grain for its value
sugar. Ia reality the grower only gets his sugar when
he gets his grain and therefore to crop
Of grain worth about as much as the same
acreage Of Indian corn IS added a crop Of
stalks worth about much the acreage
OF Cuba sugar-Cane In respects It Is superior TO
the best ribbon cane that it is not improbable that
this will be crowded out Of the Gulf States by
he will he
exporting sugar within ten years which Dr. Collier now
makes sounds like the utteTances OF enthusiast But
the said OF his predictions made tnree years
and wHt has been seen here to-day yerle5 every
one of them.
the stars and Stripes with the dragon flag Of China
nontei together over the Rio Grande Companys works
to-day, Tor among the visitors O special train from
Philadelphia were the Chinese Ambassador and two
OF Ills secretaries. For Two thousand years
sorghum has Oeen grown probably as cereal In the
FlOwery Kingdom. and II the clear gain OF It's sugar
value ON be added TO the crop the fact will be o. vast
economical importance 10 the Empire. II was, tnere
fore, superficial interest which the Ambassador
aud hs companions manifested If they had
been sugar inclined to purchase the whole
Cern al Investment they could not have studied tue
methods ana machinery more lutelugenty and closely.
Iney watched tue cane through the rollers and followed
the expressed juice as IL was clarified and boiled through
searching inquiries kept DR.. Collier and super.
ntendenJ Hughes constantly explaining every
detail through the entire process. When the day
there is little doubt that they had more COM
Prohehsiye knO"ieuge OF tns9 any OF the
American Visitors lhe klo Grande Company at
present turns the seed into pork, boiling Il,
and for change scattering II on the Oegasse
pressed cane with which the floors OF the pens
thlcky covered. Inc swine, roofing and trampng TINS
mo compost furnish manure for The crop all
the refuse including the from the boilers. -
returned 20 the soil, and nothing practically Il
taken from the land except the phosphate
OF lime In the skeleton Of the pork All this
utilization OF the waste was carefully inquired
after Uy Chen IsaO IN ana MS secretaries, well by
tue OI science and capitalists who made up the
party.
Among the guests who were Hospitality entertained
by Mr. George G. Potts president OF the COM
pluy and Mr. James r. scgu, tue treasurer, were
Br ourr, Professor SIlimun. DR., Ayers. or Yale Col,
rcge: Professor Hubbard, OF Dartmouth senator sewe
General Csrmau rllug Commissioner OF Agriculture;
II. ". Wiley. Chemist of the Department; James
Bishop Cci OF the NcW-Jerssy Bureau OF statistics aud
Labor; Charles L. Elmer, n. W. Mccall Colonel God
Gard. ~ Erw-IuTG; r. J., Chamberlain, OF Baltimore,
aud j. I. IIarTs Altogether the excursion cutter.
tgnlug aud instructive, and 70 unanimously voted
that TIC success OF tho new industry established
tltL