SUGAR FROM SORGHUM. Ig3 



in 1879 there were 5033 acres; in 1880 there were 7317 acres, an 

 increase of approximately fift}' per cent each 3'ear. Those present 

 at the convention on January 21st, had made the hist year 115,816 

 gallons of S3-rup ; and tlie}- had on hand at the time of the conven- 

 tion 14,(100 gallons ; practically it was all sold, and they had sold it 

 at about fifty cents a gallon. So that if yon make good syrups 

 the}' are marketable, and there is still a wide field for that article. 

 I would like to read more statistics. It is rather pleasant, with the 

 numerous failures, to hear of occasional success ; but I am reminded 

 of that story that was told of the first Napoleon, who, when he pro- 

 posed going over the Alps was ridiculed, and he sent out and found, 

 upon inquiry, a mountaineer who had been over, and he called him 

 to him and inquired, and at last learned of another in a neighboring 

 hamlet who also had succeeded in getting over, and he is reported 

 to have said, where two men have been twent}' can go, where twenty 

 can go I can take m}^ army. And he did go over. It is a good 

 stor}', and the point is well taken. What I have done, though ten 

 thousand have failed, there is not a man in this room who is willing 

 to admit he cannot do, nor would I be so conceited as to believe 

 thei'e was oiie here who could not do it ; but 30U must attend to the 

 fundamental principles, and that brings up another matter. I would 

 like to tell you of a gentleman who is as much interested in this 

 thing as I am if possible, who b}' repeated conversations with me 

 and letters written, had had the thing dinged into his ears. He 

 brought me four bottles of syrup made in one of the most favor- 

 ing sections of the country, but the)' were not one-quarter as good, 

 I will venture to say, as this syrup made at Hanover, one thousand 

 miles north of his localit}'. He had taken the juice expressed from 

 the stalks, emptied it into barrels, taken a dipper of milk of lime 

 and dumped into one barrel after another in succession, and allowed 

 it to stand there cold till it was ready to evaporate. It was then 

 drawn bodil}', lime and everything, into his evaporator, and boiled 

 down, with what skimming was necessarj'. It seems almost incred- 

 ible, yet he came anxiously' desirous to know wh}' he did not get 

 sugar. I have a letter from another gentleman, and it is ludicrous, 

 because he believes he follows directions. He, too, sends a sample 

 of the syrup and wants to know why it does not crj'stallize. "What 

 did he do? I wish I had the letter. It is like this : I cut my corn 

 the first of September, and being driven with work, stood it up in 

 the barn. Just three months after — it was pretty thoroughly dried, 



