Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1889-05-15


full cahe-groWers in the state, Messrs.
Eldred s. Human, of the Medicine
Lodge Sugar Works, have furnished
the following instructions for the guild
ance of cane-growers in Barber county:
Sugar is formed by natures processes
before it is harvested, and not at the
factory. The success of this new in
dustry depends more upon its agricul
thre than its manufacture the agri-
culture Is susceptible of greater devel-
opment. The manufacture is, in fact,
an advance of the agriculture, and with
out a well ripened, properly matured
stalk of cane. sugar cannot be success
fully made.
Bear in mind this is essentially SUI
gar factory-not a molasses factory
and the best crop of cane this climate.
soil, and our present knowledge of the
agriculture of this plant can produce,
is wanted.
Cane juice contains, in addition to its
sugar, in solution, an uncrystallizable
erly termed glucose, and a quantity of
impurities, such as gums, coloring mat
ter, etc. Each per cent. of solids not
sugar contained IN the juice, such as
glucose and the impurities, prevents its
equal weight of sugar from granting.
For example, if the juice contains per
cent. of sugar, and 6 per cent. of solids,
not sugar, las mentioned above but
very little sugar is available.
Until the cane is fully matured, seed
OF proper color and hard, the sugar ex-
lists only as glucose, being then convert
ed into sucrose, or sugar. Each uDripe
stalk Of cane, each spindling stalk or
sucker half developed, and bearing an
understood tuft of seed, contains only
glucose, and each such stalk not only
adds to the contents of molasses, but
carries with it the sugar from a we'll
matured stalk.
We could better afford to pay for such
cane and leave it at your homes, or put
it i'll some ditch, than to mix it with
good cane.
When the cane is fully ripe an action
occurs by which the sucrose or sugar is
transformed into glucose, the change
at first is quite slow, but later more
rapid, until, at the expiration of three
or four weeks. depending somewhat on
the weather. the sugar entirely disap-
pears. the molaSSeS being increased ac-
cOrdingly.
It therefore follows, where the best
results i'll sugar production are derived,
the cane should be worked up at an
even, uniform stage of ripeness. This
neceSsitateS a succession of paintings,
extending oyer the longest possible
period of time, and yet insure It's ma
turing III advance of early frosts, en-
ploying varieties as will best secure this
result.
The cane agent will furnish the seed.
and designate the time of each planting,
which will be so arranged as to secure
you constant supply of ripe cane
Throughout the whole working season,
in quantities equal to your team power
for handling it.
Much depends on a good stand from
the first planting. No filling in will be
allowed. If necessary to replant any
portion, it must be -piowed, cultivated
or listed over.
The field should first be cleared of all
trash, such as stalks, weeds and bunch
es of grass. This is best done by raking
and burning. Unless Ulster is used, a
good seed bed, such as for wheat, should
be provided, and the seed deposited in
fresh, moist earth, deep enough to in
sure moisture, yet not beyond the SUMS
warmth. This varies from one-haif OF
an inch in depth on heavy clay soils, to
three or four inches on light, loose, and
sandy soil.
1t is essential that the seed be plant
ed at an even, uniform depth, to insure
It's coming up and ripening early, and
the seed must under no circumstances
be dropped or covered by hand. For
loose, sandy soils, lister is good
planter. A good garden drill may an
swer, and under some circumstances a
forced feed wheat drill, having all the
holes except the two next the outside
ones closed but for prepared seed bed
regular twO-horse corn planter, with
or without drill attachment, gives the
best results, planting at a uniform
depth, and the wheel hrming the soil
about the seed, causing it to terminate
and grow more rapidly, with better
start OF the weeds.
Unless the planter has broom corn
plates, which are the best, the holes in
the corn plates should be partially
closed with lead, Rabbit, CORK or leather,
until they admit of the passage of not
more than four Or FIVE seeds to each
movement of the plate. A slight excess
of seed should be planted, and the hoe
used to properly thin it out. This
should be done invariably before the
cane is four inches high. Good soils
will produce a stalk Of cane for each
four inches of row space. When the
rows are forty-two inches apart, two
stalks should be allowed space of ten
inches, three stalks eighteen inches,
four stalks thirty inches, six stalks
-forty-two inches, and never more thaa
six stalks in any one bunch, no matter
how spaced.
Foul land is easier tended when plant
ed In checks, and all lands so planted
produce more sugar, but a smaller ton
mage than when planted in drills. The
cultivation should be merely upon the
surface, to avoid cutting roots and 9TH
erwise disturbing the roots, checking
their growth, and inducing. q growth of
suckers, to sap the parent stalks and
fetard their development.