Wichita eagle., 1889-10-02
SUGAR-MAKING IN KANSAS.
From the Kansas City Star.

When Secretary Rusk was in Kansas
recently he expressed firm confidence in
the possibilities of the sorghum industry
in that state. He declared that in his
judgment there was no doubt that the
process for the manufacture of sugar
from sorghum would be 80 improved
and perfected as to render it a certain
source of wealth to Kansas. In an in
terYiew at Washington since his western
trip he stated that it could not be
claimed, as yet, that the new diffusion
process employed at the mills in Kansas
had proved entirely successful. but that
the government chemists detailed for
that purpose were carefully noting the
results, with view to devising means to
remedy any imperfections which they
may find, and they are hopeful that
they will be able to remove all obstacles
to profitable prosecution of the sugar
industry.
To assert that sugar making in Kansas
from sorghum is a failure would be to
jump at a premature conclusion. The
persons who have investigated this
subject with the greatest care are
of the opinion that it is only a
question of time and Of more enlightened
effort when the process of crystalization
will be more cheaply and easily accom-
plished. The testimony Of Prof. Won
SchweinitZ, the chemist in charge of the
works at Conway Springs, is of interest
at this time, and is encouraging in its
tone. In letter to the New York
journal Of Commerce, pertaining to the
sorghum industry, he gives some particu-
lars OF the work last season at Conway
Springs. He says that the disadvantage
OF operating with detective machinery
reduced the profits of the enterprise, but
that with an invested capital of $50, ,0O0
the mill paid more than running ex-
penses. 1t was only operated two
months. This year the mill stars up
under much more favorable conditions,
and the test will be fairer and much
more reliable than that Of last season.
The estimate of the yield this season is
100 to l2O pounds Of sugar from each ton
of cane, with fifteen gallons of molasses.
The sorghum interest, like all new in
dustries, has suffered from the employ
ment of untried machinery, and the
companies operating the mills in Kansas
have been compelled to pur-
chase their knowledge by eX-
perience, and this has been somewhat
costly. LET d sugar MILL, says
Prof Schweinitz, ''be as carefully
planned and as solidly built as cotton
factory, and placed in charge of some
one who has had successful experience
IN the manufacture Of sorghum sugar,
and the result will be q handsome profit
for the inventor, and a blessing to the
farmer" This is evidence OF skillful
chemist, who mas devoted an entire sea-
son to the investigation Of the matter
concerning which he writes, and his
opinions will carry with them much
greater weight than those Of a person
whose knowledge Of the subject is based
upon a general observation and not upon
familiarity with the details Of the in
dustry.
The results of the present season will
throw much additional light upon the
sorghum industry i'll Kansas, although
they may not entirely settle the question
as to the measure of profit to be gained
from the manufacture Of sugar. 1t may
be that the processes required to reduce
the cost Of its production to the mini
mum may not be perfected Tor several
years, but it is believed that the expert
ments in this direction will result, finally,
in establishing the industry upon d
profitable footing and in creating an i'm
pOrtant source Of wealth IN Kansas.