The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1883-09-20
Sugar and Fodder, in One.

sugar ana ; oQQer, IN SnSs
In discussing recently the future
sugar of the United States, under
the title of "The Sugar Canes" a
number of points were. necessarily
left untouched, and the subject is
one of exceedingly great interest
that it is worth while to recur to 1t
again and again. In that article,
while urging that we ought to be-
come exporters Of sugar instead OF
importers, it was remarked that by
so doing we need not interfere with
any crop now cultivated. We will
see if that remark was not strictly
in accordance with the truth. We
can scarcely afford to cut off any of
our present resources, even for the
sake of getting new ones.
OF course it is understood, from
what has been previously written,
that our proposed supply of sugar
for the futue is to come from sor-
ghum, and our expectations and
promises are based on the recent adj
vances in chemical and manufactur-
ing knowledge, by means of which
the capitalization of sugar from
sorghum is no longer a matter Of
caprice and uncertainty, but be-
comes an established business fact.
Sorghum, as is well known, can
be grown, rs general rule,
wherever Indian corn can be raised
satisfactorily; and it has this advan-
tage in point of success, that it
thrives well on land which is too
poor to yield any more than very
Indifferent crop of corn. 1t follows
that the regions Of extended corn
growing are likely to be always the
regions demanded for sorghum, we
come to produce our two 100000,
900 pounds of sugar and then go on
beyond that to supply the foreign
market.
Shall we not, therefore, cut off
our supply of corn2 If we turn our
corn-felds into sugar-felds, are we
not about to diminish our yield of
beef and pork, the very bone and
sinew of the nation? And shall we
not deprive our people of the "hom-
my" as well as the "hog," which
have been indignantly said to 1ur-
nish the staple food of many mil
lions in our southern and western
border lands?
Ii it could be shown that the
widespread cultivation of sorghum
for sugar production would result
in a diminished food supply for
man or beast, a strong argument
would be found against such cult
walton, Notwithstanding the fact
that pecuniarily it was more profit
able. But we propose to show that
no such diminution need occur, or
will occur, even assuming that not
ansacre of additional land should be
brought into use. Our great corn
producing section, the broad plains
Of the weston and northwestern
states, which will presently be way
ing in every direction with magnifi
cent cane-fields of sorghum, con-
tain as yet illimitahle ranges
which have never felt the pillow, and
the natural progress of population
and of industry will, in due time,
sweep them within the area of
our wealth yielding lands. But,
even without them, we can produce
our full measure of sugar, as al
ready given--2,OGO,O OOO-and hog
and hominy shall pervail, as now.
The present corn fields, "from Ohio
to Nebraska, and from Kentucky to
Minnesota, can do it ALL"
To make our position plain, we
will assume definite case. A far
mer in Iowa has this year 100 acres
in corn. The records of the state
show that his average yield may be
expected at $500 bushels, worth in
round numbers 5000. OF this $500
bushels by far the largest portion
has gone as food for his hogs, horses,
etc. The human consumption, &C
cOrding to the number in his fam
lily, has not in all probability ex-
cceded 100 bushels. He needed
therefore to supply his family with
their direct corn-food only three
acres of corn; and to supply his
stock he needed slxty-fve acres,
and outside of this he had a money
value of corn sold of $40.
Now turn the slate, and cipher
on the other side. The next year
he plants corn for his family, say
ten acres, so as to allow free mar
gin, and his remaining ninety acres
he plants in sorghum, the variety
selected being according to his 10
cality. The one feature which
above all others is essential to his
getting the value from his sorghum
as sugar producer is that the crop
should become perfectly mature,
the seed fully ripe. And here is
where the two values of his crop
coincide in giving him their returns.
Experience abundantly shows that
sorghum seed, as food for live stock,
is equal in every respect to Indian
corn. Cattle, horses, hogs, eat it
freely and thrive. upon it to perfec-
tion. When thoroughly ripe its
fattening qualities are not at all
surpassed by those of the corn; and |
acre for acre, the yield of an ave
rage crop of ripe sorghum is of equal |
feeding in value to an average crop |
of corn.
How does our farmers account
therefore stand as compared with
last years returns? His family
have had their supply as then; on
ais sixty-five acres he has fed the
same amount as then ION the remain
ng 20 acres he has realized seed
which has enabled him to
eed proportionately increased
lumber of hogs, or mules, or of
whatever stock he has chosen, and
he has their value in return, but he
has not his 1910 foI sales of corn.
Is the wealth of the country di-
ninished because the farmer
Olanted ninatv acrac IN so,r.l,,,,,. :;