224 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



secretary to subscribe for him, to the constitution and by-laws, and 

 agreeing to abide by the rules and regulations o£ the association. 



ARTICLE VII. — AMENDMENTS. 



Section 1 . These by-laws may be altered or amended at any regular or 

 special meeting, by a majority of the members present. 



A motion was made and carried that the report of the committee on 

 by-laws be accepted. 



An amendment was then offered, that the members be allowed to make 

 an exhibition of their products at our meetings. Amendment adopted. 



Next in order came the report of the committee on legislation, who 

 reported that they had succeeded in doing but very little in the matter 

 of legislation. 



A paper was then read by Samuel McFetridge, upon the subject, 



SORGHUM MILLS AND THE MANUFACTURE OF SORGHUM. 



It is very safe to assert that no plant grown in this higher latitude has 

 received so much attention, during the last twenty-five years or more, as 

 has the sorghum, or northern cane plant. Its advent among us at a time 

 when our sugar supplies were cut off from our southern fields by the hand 

 of war, and prior to the development of the sugar beet of Europe, was 

 hailed with delight and surprise somewhat akin to that of the little Mon- 

 itor in her morning drill with the Merrimac in the waters of Chesa- 

 peake bay. But it was found, while the i^lant produced beautiful crops of 

 cane, and it seemed to thrive in any section where the Indian corn would 

 grow, that after running the cane through rollers hastily made of wood, 

 and boiling the juice in ojpen iron kettles, an article of molasses was pro- 

 duced which, to many, was quite unpalatable because of its greenish, acid- 

 ulous flavor. But what was to be done? Should we cast it aside as useless? 

 or should we exercise that skill and patience, and call into exercise that 

 inventive genius which has characterized every boon of importance which 

 we enjoy today? Prudence and economy answered in the affirmative. 



If the baker wished to furnish his customers with the best article of 

 bread, he would not expect to accomplish his object with an inferior wheat, 

 simply pounded in a mortar and mixed with water. No; nor even yet 

 would he expect to succeed by the aid of a few of the latest methods of 

 operation. If you were to confine him to these he would shrink from the 

 task in hopeless despair. He would say: if I am to succeed in satisfying 

 the average palate of this day and age, you must allow me the use of good 

 wheat, the latest methods of making flour, the best methods of preparing 

 the dough, and last, but not least, an oven heated to a proper degree. 

 Then, by skill in the use of these, he would expect to succeed. And that 

 which is true of the baker is also necessary with him who would prepare 

 products from sorghum. But why need I longer speculate, as though I 

 were dealing with an experiment? 



Sorghum manufacture has passed this dangerous era of experiment and 

 has now become one of the recognized industries of this country. The 

 wooden rollers of early days have given place to ones of finest workman- 

 ship, of iron and steel, the old open iron kettle to the evaporator, made 

 upon scientific principles, and the harsh fire heat used in boiling, to that 



