Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1899-04-27
MERITS Of SORGHUM CANE.
THERE is LOTS OF SUGAR IN IT--AN
INTERESTING TALK.
The Home.Made MoIasses More Valuable
Than the Imported Stuff.

Than the Imported Stuff.
Ten years ago the sorghum cane
crop of this county was limited to a
few widely separated and struggling
patches. Then there came quito q
boom in sorghum production, and
within five or six years the farm
upon, which there was not a patch
was an exception. Within the past
few years sorghum production has
aggain hees: on the down grade.
That sorghum is an important
crop there is no reason to doubt, and
just why it does not get the atten-
tion it seems to deserve, is ques-
tion that would probably involve
considerable discussion. But it is
not altogether fair to lay the blame
on the crop itself. Experience has
proved that sorghum is a very useful
and profitable product, and there is
reason to believe that it is entitled
to considerably more attention than
it has ever gotten.
Mr. w. S. Wilkerson, of Hickory
Grove, is probably the best informed
man in the county on the subject of
sorghum. lie has been giving this
product more or less attention for rs
years, has made hundreds of gallons
of molasses every year, and is ac-
quainted with many valuable uses to
which the cane can be put. 1t was
largely on account of his success with
sorghum that the boom referred to
was due, and in general way it is fair
to say that if there has been a con-
siderable decline in produc ton, it
has been for more than any other
reason because other people have
not been 80 successful with the crop
as has Mr.. Wilkerson. The best
evidence of this is that last year Mr.
Wilkerson planted moro sorghum
than he ever planted before, and this
year he will plant more than he
fplanted last year.
The fact that Mr.. Wilkerson last
year established a sorghum making
plant of alarge capacity has already
been related in The Enquirer. 1t is
also known that during last fall he
made an unusually large quantity of
molasses, which he has since been
selling at Wholesale and retail.
Mr.. Wilkcrson was in Yorkville
last Tuesday, and the reporter had
short talk with him on the subject of
sorghum. 1t was not understood at
the time that the result of the con-
versation was to be published but
Mr.. Wilkorson said some things that
struck the reporter as promising to
DO of interest and value to the pub
lie, and it is on this plea that he
takes the liberty of repeating them.
lIow did you come out with your
sorghum-making venture?" was one
of the questions that developed the
conversation.
cit was not altogether satisfac-
tory" said Mr. Wilkerson. "That
is, we had some bad luck. For in
stance, it was a remarkably poor sea-
son for making cane--too wet. We
got started late and had great
many other disadvantages to con-
tend with. But we got several hum
dred dollars worth of experience,
among other things, that will stand
us in good stead in the future"
"And do yc,' still think there is
something in the sorghum business P"
H know it. We learned that last
year; although, as l said, we did not
make any money. But I am more
than ever convinced that in the sor-
ghum crop there is the development
of an important industry.
"For instance, along with our ap-
paratus we got what is called sac
charomotcr. This is an instrument
used to measure the amount of
sugar or saccharine matter, in any
kind of syrup. Well, we found that
in our cane juice the. saccharometer
stood at 10. Our receipt for making
molasses directs that the Juice be
boiled down to about 81 ; but we
think it better to boil to about 90.
Now, then, if you do not know what
that means, I'll give you an idea.
One day, by way of experiment, wo
tested q good quality of commercial
molasses from tho stores with the
saccharometer, and found that the
instrament stood at only 90. From
this you see that there are Just 90
points more sugar in our molasses
than there are in commercial mo.
lasses. Ours, therefore, are OF that