Bridgeton pioneer. (Bridgeton, N.J.) 1884-1919, 1886-03-25
NO. 1888
THE VALUE OF SORGHUM SEED.


able discussion of the value of sor-
ghum seed. 1t was shown that there
can be produced from sorghum seed
an excellent syrup, and glucose equally
as valuable as that made from corn.
Appended is a portion of the debate in
the Association on the subject, which
will doubtless prove interesting to the
farmers of Cumberland County, num-
Der of whom are engaged III cane grow
ing
The President: I would like to hear
little more about the value of sor-
ghum seed, and should like to hear
from Mr.. Parkinson.
Mr.. Parkinson: Now you have ME on
very dangerous and slippery ground.
This is not only sorghum Convention;
but its distinguished President is op-
posed to all sorts of adulteration This
is also Convention which annually
passes a resolution denouncing all
kinds of adulteration, and is particu-
larly hostile to glucose and its com
pounds. Now if I undertake to tell
what we have been doing with our
seed am afraid that I shall get my
self into trouble.
The President: Tell the truth Qaugh-
ter.)
Mr.. Parkinson: The seed. as Mr..
Belcher has told you, and as the chem
lists told us years ago, contains large
percentage of starch. A year ago this
last season | undertook to utilize the
seed by making glucose from it.
OF course that was an experiment. 1t
had hnnn -,
laboratory DIR. Wiley and Professor
Swenson had weighed it out in small
scales, but l think they never made
very good glucose. They were troubled
by coloring matter. I undertook to
do it. | want to do a little boasting
now on my own hook. | am like the
old negro who, a great many years
ago, when | was boy, in his prayer
thanked the Lord for his food and his
raiment, but not for his shoe buckle.
for he could make that himself (laugh-
ter.) So I am thankful to the chemists
for all they have said, but not for MAX
ing the glucose, for did that myself.
/ found that it made as good an article
in color as white corn. and perhaps
richer in sweets | sent sample of it
to the Department of Agriculture to be
analyzed by DR.. Wiley, and he gave it
Very fiattcring report. After having
exhausted our local crop, some $4,000
bushels, we drew on the sorghum seed
of Kansas. We worked last year about
$4,000 bushels sorghum seed into syrup.
Now l want to say to the gentlemen
of this Convention that with that we
made the best lot of syrup have ever
seen, which brought the highest price
and gave the best satisfaction
The President: What proportion did
you add to the syrup?
Mr.. Parkinson: We adulterated the
glucose somewhat with the syrup:
Qaughtcr,) for maple syrup we used
from pound to a pound and half of
sorghum sugar to the gallon of glu-
cose.
The President: Where did the maple
come in?
Mr. Parkinson: In the imagination
Qaughter) We made very nice arti-
Gle of syrup, sold it for what it was and
were very much pleased with the oper-
alton. This year we are not working
our seed because we have not suffi-
cient quantity to pay us to transform
our machinery and fit it up for the pur-
pose, having displaced large portion
of this seed machinery for the sorghum
machinery. We are going to build a
new factory this year and there will
be one part OF this factory devoted to
the transformation of this seed into
glucose.
The Presidents: How do you claim
that this mixture improves the syrup:
Mr.. Parkinson: Oh, WELL it makes it
strong flavor, it has beauty, and makes
q hot 10 hi
The President: How is it in the
market?
Mr. Parkinson: 1t brings more money,
which is what we are after, it is bet
ter syrup and is worth more than the
naked syrup | have never seen
sorghum syrup that was not too sweet
for table use. | have been aiming at
something more mild in degree than
the naked syrup. OF course, when l
do this, am trying to manufacture a
syrup that the people want. If they
want clean-cut, unadulterated syrup
we give it to them. We are manufac--
turing syrup to-day that is used by
some of the best hotels in the West.
They do not imagine that it is made
from sorghum, but it is. We sell glu-
cose for confectionery purposes and
different purposes for which glucose is
used, as such, and the seed of sorghum
is of fully the value of corn for that
purpose. In fact it is of more value,
because it makes better product, a
sweeter product, and brings more
money. The refuse of this seed we sell
to farmers who feed it to cattle. They
claim that it is worth more than the
light refuse from corn, and are willing
to pay more for it. l do not know
whetherth is true. Idoubt whether it
is worth more, but the cattle eatit greed
lily and they think so. The seed can
be utilized for feed, that is one way
probably in which it can be used II
is not every farmer. of course, who can
have his glucose factory. 1t is not
every large factory that can have its
glucose department. Looking into the
sweet bye-and-bye when we shall make
our own sugar in this country, the idea
comes to me that the seed from num-
Der of farms will be worked up at /. large
factory which will contain the neces-
sary apparatus, unless indeed. in the
meantime some other use for the seed
is discovered.