Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1892-09-14
The Government Station.

The Government mill is row running
only as a seed station. This station,
together with the one at Sterling, Kan
sas, are the only two Government
sorghum experimental stations in the
| United States.
In grading up the cane, methods are
employed that were first employed in
Silisia, in Germany, IN grading up the
| beet for use as a sugar plant. There
beets were taken that contained 6 per
cent. of sugar, and graded in the course
of so years to Is or II per cent. AS the
beet seeds only every second year, and
the cane every year, twice as speedy
| returns are anticipated in the cane ex-
periments, and it seems, are being Sc
cured.
Cane that at first produced but 10 or
| II per cent. has been cultivated and
improved in the course of or years
until 1t now produces Is or 10 per cent,
and one sample of Folger's Early re-
Gently tested 20.6 per cent.
The cane Is planted in blocks; each
variety in block by itself. The rows
are DIVIDED into 200 feet sections; each
section is planted from single seed
head. From these sections the seed of
the best plants is selected for next
years planting, and so on year after
year. When varieties fall far behind
in their results they are entirely
dropped out.
At the mill each stalk, for testing
purposes. is run through by itself. The
seed, and can containing the juice, are
labeled with the same number, which
number 10 carried through all transfers,
so that at the end the exact results OBJ
tanned from the stalk on which each
seed head grew are known. The first
test is according to quantity. If the
amount produced is 10 brick the test is
r continued, otherwise it is rejected. If
? it tests 19 brick, an accurate test or
measurement is then made, and the
juice IS passed into so C. G. receivers
I and taken to the chemical room for the
inal test. Here, after receiving certain
chemicals to cause precipitation, it is
filtered and the final test is taken by
means of the polaris, an instrument in
. appearance somewhat resembling a
field glass, and filled with lenses, cost
ing $500 or $500. This final test is an
u application of the principle of refrac-
: ton, the degree of refraction being in
proportion to the density of the fluid
and the fluid being dense in proportion
to the amount of sugar it contains.
I Under this method of testing four va
d rieties have proven themselves of al
most equal merit They are the Collier
a Mclean or Australian, the Colman anC
S the Underdebile. FoIger's Early is be
J. ing graded for an early cane. The ex
periments aim to discover not only TIT
amount of sugar the cane will produce
=. but also the length of time it will con
tinue in good condition for use, the eff
feet of difference in soil, and also thu
difference, if any, between that grown
It on the edge and in the center of tht
J.: block. One important feature IS tn,
d length of time the cane will remain il
condition fit for use. There are three
= stages of growth-the mineral stage
% continuing until the stalk is foot or
ia foot and half in height; the glucos
a stage, during which most of the growtl
is made; and the sugar stage, dur
ing which the cane ripens an,
II natures. And the length of thi
E. maturing or sugar stage adds value t
\. the cane. Some varieties like the Ear
B. lv Amber are poor on this account
The results SO far attained by the sta
X ton are highly satisfactory. Especial
n ly good results are expected from til
g. Collier, which, though scarcely out c
III the glucose stage has already tested
and Is hundredths.
The mill is under the managemeI
&c of G. l. Human, Prof. Oma Carr, tn
20 government chemist, having charge {
d. the chemical department, assisted b
ce Mr.. Denton, of Sterling, Mr.. Bucht
ho and Mr.. Nicholson.
To Mr.. Human and Prof. Carr W
sr- are indebted for their courtesy and fl
es valuable information.