The theocrat. [volume] (Zion City [i.e. Zion], Ill.) 1914-1949, 1918-08-10
GROWING SORGHUM AT ZION
Shortage of Sugar Overcome in Big
Degree by Zion City People
(By E. w. Croft

Zion City farmers are making move to solve
the sugar shortage that will no doubt prove a
great blessing not only to their community but to
the state in general. 1t seems to be part of our
makeup to crave something sweet.
Now that there is shortage of cane sugar, one
naturally turns to substitute which will relieve
the dearth of this precious food. Few people
know much about sorghum. 1t very much re-
sembes corn with the exception that it is richer
green and has very broad leaf. 1t will thrive
on land that will not grow corn and does not need
fertilization like most plants. Sorghum will do
we'll in Illinois and Wisconsin and with little
boosting farmers all over the state can be induced
to grow this valuable plant.
Molasses made from sorghum is excellent.
Children like it, and when the molasses is being
boiled you will see the boys come around with
their wooden paddles to scrape the pans about
the worst licking ever got in my life was for
cleaning up sorghum molasses pan, said T. H.
Hollingshead, Zion City sorghum enthusiast.
Il was wanted at home to do some other work
and instead of obeying my father | stayed around
to clean up the molasses can with paddle /
certainly got cleaned up for that"
Mr.. Hollingshead has one-tenth of an acre in
sorghum on 33rd street and Bethel blvd. 1t is
somewhat of an experiment with him but his crop
looks fine and he expects to get at least gallons
of sorghum molasses from his cane. c. E. Aus
tin, West 9th street and Milwaukee road, has one
acre IN sorghum and he expects to purchase a
mill right away SO that he can crush his own cane
and that of neighboring farmers. Mr.. Sans,
located on North Sheridan Road, has five acres in
sorghum; W. ]. Hardness, 10Th and Jordan ave-
nue., has one acre; S. H. DePew, West 9th street
and Wade Myers, have an acre in sorghum be-
tween them. H. w. Potter also has about two
lots on West 18th street August Swanson has
four rows, 900 feet long of sorghum on his farm,
West 18th street With Mr.. Swanson, sorghum
growing has passed the experimental stage. He
has demonstrated by actual test that Lake county
will produce good sorghum. In the year 1915
he planted six rows of the cane on his farm, on
the fork between the Kenosha and Milwaukee
Road, Zion City, and now occupied by c. E. Aus
tin With these six rows, 20 rods long, he got 80
gallons of molasses. He could have sold tons of
the molasses if he had had it. for the neighbors
were anxious to buy all he had
Sorghum is nice thing for family use," said
Mr.. Swanson in an interview last night 1T can
be used for cooking, and eating in different forms
From one lot you can raise all that family needs
for whole year With reasonable amount of
care, sorghum can be raised in this county quite
successfully and it is no more difficult to raise
than any other crop. When it is ripe you have
to strip the leaves off and cut the heads off the
plant to get the seeds. You can use the seed for
chicken feed, it makes them rolling fat.
"The cane should be cut close to the ground"
said Mr.. Swanson. "Tie it up in bundles, so that
it can be handled better, and then feed it into the
mill"
Mr. Swanson thinks that sorghum would thrive
on the lake front land. In fact he says that sandy
land makes the best cane
Sorghum molasses makes excellent gingerbread
cookies, buildings, etc. 1t can be used for making
candies The cultivation of the cane in Lake
county, and in fact in both Illinois and Wisconsin,
will be found to be great boon to the people
in these times when sugar is at premium -
The Waukegan Sun.