1883.] QUESTION BOX. 253 



abandon it. You never hear anything advanced in the way 

 of improvement or change which some farmers do not de- 

 nounce, and some of them have reason for doing so, because 

 there have been so many impositions practiced upon them ; I 

 do not therefore, wonder at it so much. Still, when we look 

 at the immense tariff which we pay on our imported sugars 

 to protect less than nine per cent, of the sugar that is con- 

 sumed in our country, which is raised on the plantations of 

 Louisiana, if we can, as it seems we may, introduce this cane 

 for the purpose of manufacturing sweets on our farms, which 

 shall save us the expense of these high-priced sugars, let us 

 give this matter our careful consideration, and do it. I have 

 no doubt it will be a success. Prof. Collier is a very careful 

 and thorough experimenter, and he is very confident of suc- 

 cess. The instance referred to in New Jersey is not the only 

 one where sugar has been manufactured. In Champaign conn 

 ty, Illinois, there is a factory where a large amount of this 

 amber sugar cane is manufactured, and a correspondent of 

 the " Country Gentleman " in that county speaks very highly 

 of this enterprise. I hope, therefore, friends, that you will 

 give it your careful attention and make a test of it. 



Mr. Day. I want to inquire in regard to the amount of 

 syrup that can be made from an acre, or any given quantity 

 of ground ? 



Mr. Gold. In my neighborhood, sorghum has been grown 

 for three years. The first year I accurately measured every 

 rod of ground from which my neighbors delivered their sorg- 

 hum to my mill, and kept an accurate account of the yield of 

 it, and it varied from one hundred gallons of syrup per acre 

 to something over three hundred gallons per acre. 



Mr. Day. Never less than a hundred ? 



Mr. Gold. I think the first year no one raised less than a 

 hundred. Last year there was a greater variation in the 

 range of crops, and this year a still greater variation. Some 

 crops came on very slowly indeed, and some were very re- 

 markable in their yield. I did not get the measurements of 

 ground this year, but only judged them from the appearance 

 of the cane. 



