The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1901-06-15
How to Get 1t Out Is Acct
dentally Discovered
A MINNESOTAN'S LUCK
Great Possibilities in the Manufac-
ture of the Article.
DEATH TO THE SUGAR TRUST
Every Farmer May Supply His Own
Needs-The Commercial
Side.

Many Of the greatest discoveries which
have been Of value to mankind have been
accidental; and 1t now seems that Min
nesota man has Unexpectedly run upon
process which will be OF a thoroughly rev.
olutionary character in one of the worlds
greatest Industries. This is no less than
a simple process of producing sugar from
the syrup of sorghum.
For nearly fifty years, or ever since
sorghum was introduced into the United
States from China, chemists have been
studying the problem of making sugar
from its juice. 1t was easy enough to do
but it cost too much. 1t could not be done
on a commercial basis in competition with
cane sugar.
One of the most patient and persistent
friends of the sorghum plant has been
Seth NJ. Kenney, of Morristown MINI. Mr..
kenney has raised sorghum for years, has
been one of the foremost advocates of the
cane, has been instrumental in improving
the syrup until it has reached as fine a
quality and flavor as any OF the CONNER
eial syrups. and has been a persistent
believer in the ultimate solution of the
problem of producing a satisfactory granu-
lation Of the sugar. At last by curious
accident, Mr.. Kenney has stumbled upon
something which produces perfect granu-
lation.
The story is quite as interesting as that
told of the discovery of the clay process
of refining sugar. Everyone will remem-
Der the tale of the hen with the muddy
feet which walked across the pile of wet
brown sugar depositing supply of mud,
and how the owner was astonished to find
that the sugar beneath the clay turned
perfectly white
The Accident.
Last summer barrel of sorghum syrup
in Mr.. Kenney's works at Morristown
happened to ferment. 1t had been made
slightly too thin. Upon the discovery of
its condition the syrup was reboiled and
was sold, presumably in perfect condition.
After drawing out two gallons from the
barrel. the merchant to whom the syrup
was sold reported that he could get no
more syrup and sent it back disgusted
Mr.. Kenney did not know what to make
of this phenomenal state of affairs, so
he unheaded the barrel and found instead
of syrup a mass of sugar. 81 had never
before seen such remarkable granula-
tion," says Mr.. Kenney, "and in order
to get an explanation I wrote to Dr.
Wiley, chemist of the department of ag-
riculture, Washington" DR.. Wiley's ex-
PLANTATION was that the fermentation had
acted upon the gums and other chemical
substances in the sorghum syrup which
have prevenred granulation, so changing
their form that the subsequent boiling
removed them, leaving nothing to pre-
vent the free granulation of the sacchar-
inc matter. DR.. Wiley expressed the
opinion that a surprising possibility for
sorghum had been discovered.
When Mr.. Kenney found that he had
accidentally discovered a process of gran
ulating the sorghum product he made no
attempt to secure a patent, or even to
herald his great discovery. He simply
sat down and wrote a letter to S. NJ.
owen of Minneapolis, editor of Farm,
Stock & Home. This letter begins
simply with: "It looks as if I had made
/ very important discovery" And after
telling what had happened he asks all