SUGAR FROM SORGHUM. 169 



Suaar from Sordmin and Corn Stalks. 



Lecture by Prof. Peter Collier, Chemist to the Department of Ag;ricul- 

 ture, delivered before a Farmers' Institute at Brunswick, Feb. 10, 1881, 



I regret very much that there is not a larger number to hear con- 

 cerning this matter. I have no doubt that, within a short time, 

 they will be surprised at themselves to have regarded a matter of 

 such extreme importance with comparative indifference. 



I would sa}- in advance, that concerning all this matter of which 

 I propose to speak, I have no opinions to offer ; I do not value them 

 at all, comparativel}'. I shall not have much to do even with con- 

 clusions, but leave you to draw your own. I shall chiefly present 

 facts which- have been ascertained by the experiments of the past 

 three years, and I wish you would give ver}' careful attention to 

 those facts so that if possible you ma}^ find some weak point upon 

 which success shall depend ; for I assure you, at the outset, of the 

 points which I propose to make as my conclusions ; and I think I 

 cannot be more emphatic when I say I thinlv that those facts make 

 clear that, as a people, we are no more justified in importing sugar 

 than we would be to import wheat or corn. Of course I think that 

 is sufficiently radical. I have no doubt that man}- of you will be 

 reminded of the admirable representation by Mr. Raymond of 

 Colonel Sellers, where he talks about his eye water and declares that, 

 in this matter — when he sells a couple of bottles to each of all the 

 teeming millions of Asia, "there are millions in it." Now I am to 

 present a subject that cannot be touched in any of its aspects with- 

 out going into the millions ; but I wish, if at any time any of 3'ou 

 take exceptions or think I am speaking wildl}', that you would at 

 once interrupt me ; it will be no interruption but a pleasure. I said 

 we cannot touch this question in any of its aspects without going 

 into the millions. It is almost incredible, — this question of sugar. 

 Our annual supply of sugar, that we import -into this countr}^, would 

 make a string of hogsheads as long as from Boston to Chicago, 

 touching each other all the way. It takes approximately the entire 



