The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1888-12-26

For several years experiments have
been in progress to determine whether
sugar can be made from sorghum in
paying quantities. Professor Collier,
who was chemist of the department of
agriculture during President Hayes
administration, became convinced, after
series of tests, that sugar crystals ex-
listed in sorghum cane in large guam
titles, and made what has been called
an exaggerated statement, that sugar
j can be made from sorghum for one
cent a pound. Before the experiments
begun by Professor Collier could be
brought to a successful issue the admin
istration was changed and Professor
Wiley, who had little faith in sorghum
sugar, took his place. Commissioner
Loring, who was then at the head of
the department, had as little confidence
in the theory as did his chemist. Under
President Cleveland's administration
Norman j. Colman was made commits
sioner of agriculture. He became an en-
thusiastic believer in the theories of Pro
lessor Collier and directed his attention
to the solution of the question. Appro-
priations were secured from congress to
make extensive experiments and ascer-
tain the truth or falsity of the theories adj
vanced. Unfortunately Professor Wiley
was retained as chief chemist, and
through ignorance and lack of faith in
the work committed to his care, the
experiments proved unsuccessful and
sugar-making from sorghum was de-
clared to be failure These expert
ments, which attracted wide attention,
were mainly made at Fort Scott, Kan
sas. In the meanwhile w. l.. Parkin-
son became interested in the matter,
and, Notwithstanding Professor Wiley's
declaration, secured an appropriation
to continue the experiments. This
he did under the direction of Pro-
fessor Swenson, the assistant chemist,
and succeeded last year in establishing
the fact that sugar can be made from
sorghum in paying quantities. This
success was obtained mainly with pri-
vate capital, assisted by the small appro-
priation of congress for the Fort Scott
works. To encourage this new enter
prise the legislature of Kansas, at its
last session, voted bounty of two cents
10, II Is, Ja ,b,,,,
in the state, provided the bounty should
not exceed $4,000 in a single year.
During the winter the company owning
the Fort Scott works enlarged its cap.
ital and last spring erected new works
four miles from Topeka, on the Rock
Island railroad, at cost of over $50.
000 While at Topeka it was our pleas.
ure to spend few hours in looking
over the works and note the interesting
process of making sugar in Kansas
In company with j. 7. Cobb Of School.
croft, Mich, editor of the Grange US
itOr, Hon. Thomas May, master of the
Michigan state grange, and r. ID. Gay
Of Manchester, n. H., we took the
steam street-cars, which run to The city
limits, within one and one-half miles OF
the works. Here we took team and
drove by the fields on which is grown
much of the sorghum used in making
the sugar. The land lies along the
Kansas river and produces an aver
age of twelve tons of sorghum per acre.
Arriving at the works, we found Hon
w, L. Parkinson, the general manager
to whom more than to any other the
. success of the industry is due. Mr.
Parkinson kindly took us in charge and
explained the process of making sugar
from sorghum. The cane is topped
the seed cut off-and delivered to the fac
tory by the farmers. They receive two
dollars per ton for the cane and the same
price for the seed. The average yielt
of seed is about two tons per acre. The
seed is put in small punches to dry and
then in large stacks, where it is KEEP
until threshed. The seed not used fol-
planting is sold for feed, being as val
liable for this purpose as corn. After
the cane is received at the factory it is
run through large cutting-machine
and cut in pieces about one inch in
length. 1t is then carried to the fan
ming mills, where the leaves and sheath:
are separated from the chips. The
chips then go to the macerater, ;
where they are cut into fine shreds
This mass is then dumped into tn,
"diifusion batteries " and the sugar il
" diffused," or soaked out, with no
water and carbonate of lime. The use
of carbonate of lime neutralizes the
acids and prevents the sugar from turn
ing to glucose. Professor Swensor
took out a patent on this discovery, Blu
the department of agriculture insti
tuted legal proceedings to nullify thu
patent, on the ground that when tn,