New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-07-01
THE SORGHUM INDUSTRY.
FEATURES OF PROFESSOR wILEY's REPORT
LOCAL AID TO SORGHUM PHoDUcERs-DIFE1-
CULTIES TO BE ovERCoME-EXPEhl
MENTs IN MANY PLACES.

TO the Secretary of Agriculture by Professor whey
the chemist of the Department, contains some iSsh
and interesting facts respecting the sorghum INDUSTRY
In Kansas which takes the lead in that Industry,
much larger acreage of sorghum has been plancd us
year than in any previous season, and the pfepara
tons for manufacturing sugar are many times more
extensive than ever before. At seven OF the nine
places in that STATE at which Is expected sugar VIII
be produced this year the total acreage of sorghum
under cultivation IS 12.400 acres; ~ six OF these
places new plants for the manufacture OF sugar are
building, and another place the old plant Is oeing
enlarged and improved. Three Of the new nils VIII
have daily capacity Of 100 tons of field cane each,
one of $50 and one of 800 tons. The capacity OF the
other two is not given IT Is 10 be sufficient In each
case TO work up 1000 acres Of ncd-cane during the
season of sugar.making. The men who have engaged
IN the industry have received much encouragement
and pccunlary aid from the communities In wnlch II
IS 20 be planted. At Attca, Kan, local aid 10 inc
amount Of $4,000 In town bonds has been Voi'd ana
the farmer, have taken so 900 IN stock. for which
they are to pay I'm cane; Medicine Lodge aid to
the amount of $4,000 has been voted in the form
Of water bonds at Ness City the enterprise has re-
ceved 100000 I'm bonds, voted by four contiguous
towns. The three new companies at Meade center,
Liberal and Arkalon receive equal amount OF ala
from towns and other corporations Sl5,OOO EACH In
the form of township bonds. and S3333 each, In the
form Of loan, from a railroad company upon "hOsc
lie the new factories situated.
The report notes the fact that the machinery for
three of the new mills is to be Of Kansas manufacture,
which shows that the impulse of the industry has
been already felt by Others than farmers and pros
pective sugar producers IN that state. MOST oil thc
machinery for the other factories IS the product OF
works at Cleveland, Ohio The facts already given
show not only that the farmers and manufacturers Of
Kansas ready to contribute their money, their Skill
and their energies to the upbuildng of this new and
hut that i.p ms
other States becoming Interested. and that the
officers Of at least one great transportation company
arc fully convinced that opportunity Is now offered
70 increase the ploductivcncss Of the properly in their
charge.
With his usual caution, Professor vile! calls a.
tcntlon certain natural difficulties which must Dc
overcome The chief one seems to be lack of water
suitable for use IN the boilers and diffusion batteries
Of the new factories, lack of which. no does not
hesitate TO intimate may cause total partial failure.
such lack severely felt at one OF the factories
last year. Professor Wiley also fears that the new
machinery may not be ready In time, and that whom
once in operation II may be found Inadequate or nm
suitable. He also regards with considerable disfavor
the granting Of local and State aid in so liberal a
degree for the establishment OF industry which 10
be permanent must succeed on purely commercial
basis Dut Professor Wiley TO have become
thoroughly convinced that the cultivation Of sorghum
and the manufacture OF sugar tlercfrOm can be made
commercially profitable under suitable conditions and
with proper machinery and Intelligent management.
The report shows that an effort IS TO be made this
year to manufacture sugar from sorghum at Cedar
Falls Iowa, where for several years "A wellcquppcd
factory for the making of sorghum syrup. has been h,
successful operation. About 800 acres Of cane arc
In cultivation The company proposes to add vacuum
pan and centrifugal plant its mil and has applied
to the Department OF Agriculture for aid In conducting
the seasons experiments. 1t is estimated that $4,000
.fac1c tln
tired hard, hui uisucccssilly, 10 dlsSuaHe ule con-
pany from embarhing In the new enterprise, on NE
ground that owing to climatic reasons It would probaDly
end in failure and disappointment
At RiO Grandc, y. j., Mr.. Hughes is continuing his
experiments. Three hundred acres of sorghum
planted on clover sod, are doing we'll and promise q
good crop. IL addition, an experimental n"ld oil
eight acres has been planted win me varieties Oh sea
AMI improved Hughes battery !, 70 De added this
year and the boiler end eyalorathg caracity argey
Improvements VIII DO I'm readiness for operations by
September L. AZ N6 ,ye VA tne H,Snia Gii
besides experimental field planted with varieties
Of seed furnished by The department OF Agrcnlinr e
zion by September l." The Hughes system o.
diffusion Is TO be employed with a new system OF
st Kenncr. Ia. experiments are to be continued
with both sorghum and sugar cane. Of tho former
sixty acres have been planted ara two acres mo@
were ~ be planted at. later date. The problems
suggested woro: Influence Of mantres varieties Of
cane, successons Of growths. About 100 varieties Of
have been collected from foreign countries. Small
fields Of sorghum have also been planted IN other
parts of Louisiana and Mississippi with a view TO
repetition OF the hitherto unsuccessful experiments
In making sugar from sorghum cane which has been
trans ported for a considerable distance 70 the mill
after being cut
Sorghum experiments will also he conducted At
the MARYLAND Agricultural Collegc near Washington
under the auspices and with aid from the Depart
nent Of Agriculture.
Profes sor Wiley is anxious that the work this
year shall include experiments I'm tho utilization OF
the mill chips paper stock: Al present these
cbipsp after the tulce has been extracted are
ptreiy a waste product although experiments made
6y Or Collier several years indicated that they
niIaLt be found valuable for the purpose indicated
by Professor Wiley. $780,, go
AT its last session Congress appropriated s54 ooC
sorghum during this fiscal year.