176 



In No. 53 we have an excellent example illustrating the statement that large 

 roots are usually very poor in sugar. No. 54 is the same variety of beet, grown on 

 the same soil and in the same way, and though still too large, contains 4*6 per cent 

 more sugar. 



The roots throughout were too heavy to give high sugar percentages, and 

 neglect to keep them earthed had assisted in most instances in causing low 

 coefficients of purity. 



^ SOEGHUM. 



Seed of three varieties of sorghum was furnished by Mr, Corbeil, of Hull, P.Q., 

 with the request that they should be sown and tlie percentage of sugar in the pro- 

 duct estimated. 



This plant, known as the Chinese Sugar Cane {Sorghum vulgare) has been exten- 

 sively introduced into the "United States. Its cultivation there, both as a fodder 

 crop and for the production of molasses and sugar, has been a matter of much 

 experiment for some years past by the experimental stations, and the manufacture 

 of sugar from the cane has received Government and State aid, with the view of 

 establishing, if pospible, an economical process for its extraction. 



It therefore became a matter of interest to ascertain what amount of sugar the 

 plant would develop when grown here, and, in accordance with the wishes of Mr. 

 Corbeil, the work already alluded to has been carried out at the Central Farm, 

 Ottawa. The following analyses give the results : — 



Sorghum. 



Percentage of 

 Sugar in Juice. 



No. 1 ; 5-15 



No. 2 6-29 



No. 3... 9-50 



The minimum percentage of sugar in the cane, as grown in the United States, 

 is about 2 per cent, and the maximum 18 per cent, according to the variety of the 

 sorghum, the season, &c. 



Our present figures show a cane altogether too poor for profitable extraction. 

 Sorghum requires a long and somewhat dry season, and although the exact and most 

 favourable conditions for a rich cane are, perhaps, as yet unknown, it seems probably 

 certain that the frosts of autumn, common to the climate of Ottawa and vicinity, 

 would be detrimental to the quality of the sorghum for manufacturing purposes 



MILK: THE BABCOCK TEST. 



The value of milk depends principally upon the percentage of fat it contains, 

 and this is true whether it be purchased by the city consumer, the creamery or the 

 cheese factory. Fat is the most important and most valuable of all the constituents 

 of milk, though of course the solids-other-than-fat have a food value. 



A great variability exists in samples of genuine milk as to the amount of fat 

 they possess. This is owing to breed, food, environment, period of lactation and 

 individual characteristics. Again, the composition of the milk of the same cow is 

 by no means constant — the total solid matter, including fat, being subject to large 

 fluctuation within comparatively short periods of time. 



Within certain limits, water may he added or cream extracted from pure milk, 

 without liability of detection. 



For these reasons, it becomes apparent that the adoption of any ready and cheap 

 method for accurately determining the amount of fat would result in the valuation 

 of milk according to its quality, and the selling and buying of milk would be placed 

 upon a more equitable basis than it now enjoys. Quality as well as quantity should 

 be taken into account, for in this way the producer would be paid for his labour and 

 skill and the purchaser i eceive his money's worth. 



