The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-12-31
cANE-GRoWERs' PROCEEDINGS.
Professor Wiley's Address on Saving Pro-
cesses and the Extent Of Cane Areas.

The Indiana Cane-growers' Association met
yesterday in their fifth annual session. Presi-
dent Furnas. of Danville, delivered his address,
which treated chiefly of the necessity of encour-
aging small manufacturers of sorghum, and
made a comparison of the diffusion and fire pro-
cesses. A. S. Chapman, of Madison. read a pa
per showing the necessity of organization and
cooperation. Officers for the coming year were
elected as follows: President, A. S. Chapman,
Madison; yice7president, A. Furnas, Danvllle;
secretary. E. w. Deming, West Point; treasurer,
VIM. F. Leitzman. Clayton.
Professor Wiley, government chemist, gave an
interesting talk on recent experiments made by
him, showing that 40 per cent. of cane has been
thrown away that can be saved. and that % per
cent. of this may be saved by cutting the cane
in small pieces and then rolling.
j. v Miller recommended stamping cane
before 1t was ground.
In the evening Professor Wiley delivered an
address. he spoke chiefly OF the prospect OF an
indigenous sugar industry that must be sufficient
Iomeet The demands OF this great sugar using
Nation. He said it had been demonstrated that
the sugar product OF Louisiana can be doubled
without raising any more cane than is now
grown there, simply by the use of proper care
and recently i'm proved processes. He said that
not cne-twentieth of the land of that State suit
able for sugar-cane growing is devoted to this
crop, for the reason that heretofore IL has not been
considered profitable. If made profitable, this
area can be utilized, and that will bring the
sugar product of Louisiana up from one hun
dred millions Of pounds to tive hundred
millions annually within ten years. This is
about one-tenth Of the amount Of sugar used In
this country. He said he had shown it was pos
sible to introduce the profitable cultivation of
beet sugar into California, Oregon and along the
borders Of the great lakes, the sugar-beet re-
curing an extremely mild Summer. The
beet cannot be cultivated with the sulky-plow.
The American farmer will have to bend his back
and use a hoe, or have some one to do it for
him. If he will do this, vast areas
can he proftably given to the ~cultiva-
ton of the sugar-beet. Five hundred million
pounds of sugar could readily be added to the
sugar crop in this way. which would bring the
production up to half what is needed. Can the
sorghum cane produce the other half? He
claimed that If the manufacturing difficulties,
which to him seemed simple. could be overcome,
the other half could be furnished. The chief thing
was to handle the sorghum cane in a hurry. A
few hours after emitting, the cane, unlike the
sugar beet or the sugar cane, would lose all its
saccharine virtue. He believed that il the
American mechanic would invent, as he could,
appliances for the prompt handling and manu-
facture of the cane the problem would be solved.
This forenoon, E. W. Deming. representing
the Harkman works, Fort Scott, Kan, where the
government made its experiments in diffusion
and Authorization, will make a report.