The Hawaiian gazette., 1885-01-07

At the Fourth Annual Convention of Fruit
Growers, held lately at San Jose California DR..
W. j. Hidden of San Francisco by special request
gave his views on the manufacture of Sorghum.
DIR. Hadden: Mr.. Chairman and gentlemen OF
the Convention: Sugar making in the United
States is destined to be one of the leading indus
tries and its profit when properly managed will be
greater than any OF the leading staple crops
grown in the country. In the State of California
have not only the climate and soil for the Guilt
Walton of the sugar cane III certain sections, espe
cialy Southern California, but in the whole state,
the soil and climate is better adapted for the cult
walton of the sorghum than in any State of the
Union; but the great drawback to the raising of
the sorghum in the past, has not only been for the
want of experience in its culture and the know
ledge of the making OF sugar syrup from the
same, but owing TO the large importatious of raw
sugar from other countries amounting to hundreds
of millions of dollars annually. OF course the
consumption of sugar and syrup is large, and the
question has often come TO me. why should we
import into this country n commodity in such
common use, when we have climate and soil not
only capable of producing sufficient for home con
sumption but for expectation, If necessary Then,
again, II is an industry which can be made prOtita
BILE. The cultivation of sorghum and the produc
tion of sugar, therefore, though still IN an expert,
mental stage, Is receiving great attention, sud
/ trust the time is not far distant when each and
every owner of small farm will be so situated
| that ha cannnt only produce, bot rnanufncture Mt
small cost, all the sugar he needs enough and to
spare especially in the State of California, for il
is we'll known that and land capable OF producing
corn or wheat will produce sorghum. Then the
| question COMES what variety of sorghum is best,
and that which contains the most saccharine mat
ter. / can only say, when Gen. lie Due was at the
| head of the Department of Agriculture at Wash
inGton, d. O., he gave the subject of sugar syrup
making from thirty different varieties OF sorghum,
| a thorough investigation, and the result was quite
sufficient to establish the fact that both sugar and
molasses OF a superior quality dwelt TO large de
| gree in the sorghum plant, and a consequence
new departure has been taken; and to-day sugar
and mOlasses of \ very superior quality, having
great commercial value, Is an established fact and
will warrant the employment of energy and capital
| | shall not enter into any detail of each variety
imported into this country, but will leave others,
who have devoted more time than | have to its
culture, to impirt information on that subject.
My object in speaking tonight Is simply TO state
| a fact that sugar aud syrup can be manufactured
| from the sorghum plant, and the process is so
simple that anyone who is interested in the well
| fare OF State and subsists upon the productions
of the soil, ought not to pay duty any article
that Is so easy of culture and profitable to the
producer. Even those who do not wish to manu-
| facture the sugar, certainly can make the SYRUP
and in all fruit growing districts where it is well
\ known much is wasted for want of market
profitable for its sale With the cultivation of the
sorghum and the manufacture of the syrup all
| fruits that are now wasted could be made into
preserves, and would always find ready market
and establish an industry that would give employ
ment to every household in the rural districts,
From experiments made when in Georgia, in
| the manufacture of sugar from the sorghum
plant, found 1T necessary first to filter the Juice
/ as pressed from the cane, and by oxidization du-
ring the lter:ion, by the action Of certain gases
TO neutralize the acids and perishable matter
which all cane juices contain, taking not to
have 1t exposed to the air exposure destroys its
crystallizable properties to great extent. Hence
| it must be conveyed from the press 70 the filter
and br in enclosed or Theoretically sealed re-
ceiveri from there it can be into the evapora-
/ tor and then reduced INTO the form of syrup
sugar, as suits the fancy of the manufacturer. OF
| course there are many improvements in the means
employed as regards evaporators, but at some fu-
ture period intend to practically demonstrate be-
fore this Convention of fruit growers the process
| by which all vegetable juices can be decoorized
and clarified, especially that of the sorghum plant
so that the syrup and sugar obtained therefrom
can he made light in color and retain all its sac
charne properties and be far sweeteT than the re-
| fined sugars of the present day. The necessity of
| importing raw sugur for the purpose of rennng
it and selling it at great profit, will soon be
| thing of the past, trust.