The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1884-11-26
Cranberry uuIture-PreservIng Sheep sklns
Estimating COrnfelds-HousehoId
Hints and Farm Notes.
Sorghum as n Profitable Crop.
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Sorghum growing should receive the at
tsntion Of every farmer who grows corn.
Although source from which sugar may be
obtained, sorghum is also profitable for its
fodder snd seed alone, and when the farm
era begin TO realize the value Of the ground
seed SIS food for stock il will be a regular
crop wherever it can be produced. DR.. Co..
Iisr the late Chemist of the Agricultural
Department, states that sorghum can be
grown in any climate or on any soil that
produces corn, and, while corn produces
seed and fodder, sorghum produces sssd,
fodder and strip. The system of cultivation
is the same for both corn and sorghum,
though at the time OF putting in the seed
sorghum demands less labor. The quality of
sorghum seed is nearly the same as that of
corn, but is valuable in a dietary point of
view, while mixture of ground corn and
sorghum seed is superior to either when fed
alone to stock. The yield of seed per acre is
about the same Is that of corn, and IS as eas-
ily harvested; bat little more labor is re-
qUired in order to separate the seed in the
barn. The FODDER is sweeter than that of
corn, possessing, therefore, a greater proper
hon Of nutriment and will keep in green
or sufficient condition much longer than
corn fodder, which is a very important item.
1t is not necessary to strip the talks early,
nor is there loss of saccharine matter By
allowing the fodder to mature, as the most
available strip is obtained after the seeds
are thoroughly ripe. When stalks are strip
ped of the leaves and the fodder bundled and
cuTed under the system known as "blading"
10 makes the cleanest and best provendsr
known, and even after the stalks are ground
and pressed they may be utilized for feeding
purposes, as 1t is impossible 20 completely
deprive them Of their saccharine matter.
IN making strip the common method now
pursued is for farmers to combine and pro-
cuIe the necessary machinery, or for a
farmer to procure such for himself aud
charge a commission to his neighbors for
grinding the cane and extracting the strip;
OF, IS it is done with the thrashing machines,
there are those who makes business OF ex-
tIacting the strip, the cost of making the
strip varying from twelve to twenty five
cents per gallon. Each gallon ofsirup yields
about SIX pounds Of sugar, but as expert
ments are annually cheapening the cost of
manufacture, in short time the expenses
will be but very little.
We do not however, value sorghum for its
sugar alone, but also for its sirup. In the
South during the war sorghum strip was q
common article, and proved an excellent
substitute for molssses. There was no diff
Guilty in its manufacture, for on every farm
was rude mill which pressed the Juice from
the cane. and this was in a few hours boiled
down to the consistency of strip. No sugar
wss made, however, as the method Of crys-
talking the saccbarine matter from sorghum
Hss then unknown. With the improved
methods and machinery Of the present day
there is no reason Why every farmer should
not grow bis own strip, and at q small ex-
pense.
With the advantages in favor of sorghum
Of being a valuable seed producer, and the
excellence Of the leaves for feeding purposes,
with the conversion of the stalks into sugar,
IL should share with corn portion OF the
space on every farm, especially IS it stands
1rought5 better and terminates sooner when
planted, as well as being quicker in growth
and less liable to injury from irosts than
corn