SUQAK FROM SORGHUM. 185 



they are not fifty miles apart. The same is ti'ue, I presume, in 

 regard to butter. There is some butter that we would not care for 

 at ten cents and other we would be glad to get at $1 a pound if we 

 could afford it. 



I have tried to refrain from uttering opinions in this matter. Do 

 not take m}' saj-- so on this. That has been the trouble for the past 

 thirty years. You can find in the literature on the subject for the 

 past thirt}' 3'ears authorit}- for almost any statement you may choose 

 to make, concerning the culture of sorghum, and it might be in 

 certain localities, under certain conditions, each statement and 

 each modification of statement was true ; but let us try to find out 

 what the general principles are. Let us patiently seek out the facts 

 in regard to this matter, and rest assured that success is ultimately 

 goins: to crown our efforts. I have no doubt we shall very soon 

 make our own sugar. It seems incredible that we should continue 

 to waste annually four times as much sugar as the world uses, but 

 that is literally true ; or else all these experiments must go for 

 naught. 



Remember that the first beet sugar was made at the expense of 

 thirty cents a pound and more. And yet, now, to such success has 

 it been brought that it competes with sugar cane in the market. 

 That has a lesson for us. It behooves those of you who are 

 engaged in this new enterprise to be on your guard. Certainly 

 nobody in the world could wish you other than success in it ; but of 

 this thing you may rest assured that, as the old Cardinal said to the 

 Arch Traitor in the play, you must not lose a trick ; you must start 

 full abreast with the most advanced in science and with improved 

 machinery, improved quality of beets, improved methods of culture, 

 or you will go by the board. On the other hand, here is sugar cane 

 where at least forty per cent, of all the sugar, by wasteful process is 

 lost. It is estimated that fifty per cent, of all the sugar grown in 

 Louisiana has been lost, and at least forty per cent. now. There is 

 a wide margin for somebody who shall enter upon this business, and 

 I confidently believe that our work with sorghum is going to benefit 

 largely the sugar cane industry. On the other hand look at the 

 sugar beet. Such perfection have they attained, that at least nine- 

 tenths if not eleven-twelfths of all the sugar in the beet is utilized. 



Mr. Gilman — Will you be kind enough to state again, if agreea- 

 ble, the process of treatment of corn in your experiments. "Was 

 the corn cut up ? and was it after the ear had thoroughly ripened ? 



