5§8 The Chinese Sugar- Cane. [December, 



stores. But as my object was simply to ascertain the quantity rather 

 than the quality, of sacharine matter contained, this juice was neither 

 strained nor clarified, and therefore, its taste was not equal, of course, 

 to what it would be under more careful treatment. From all that I 

 could observe, concerning thi^ plant, I am fully convinced that 15 

 per cent, of good clarified sugar could be obtained. My simple ex- 

 periment produced about 25 per cent, of molasses." 



We give republication to this extract for the purpose of laying 

 the facts therein set forth, along side of the statement made by Hon. 

 Richard Peters, of Atlanta, Georgia, showing that its location at 

 either north or south, produces no appreciable change in its sugar- 

 yielding properties. In a recent circular, published by Mr. Peters, 

 on the " Chinese Sugar-Cane and Georgia Syrup," he says : 



"I feel it my duty to make known to the southern public the re- 

 sult of my Syrup-making from the Chinese Sugar Millet, in hopes 

 that others who have sown this valuable variety of the Millet, may 

 be induced to work it up into Syrup this season. 



I send you a few joints of the Cane and a sample of the Syrup, 

 of which I have made several barrels. 



I obtained my start of seed during the spring of 1855, from D. 

 Redmond, Esq., of the SotUhern Cultivator. I considered it a ' hum- 

 bug,' from its close resemblance in seed and growth to the ' Guinea 

 Corn,' until my children, towards fall, made the discovery of its be- 

 ing, to their taste, equal to the true Sugar-Cane. 



This year I planted one patch, April 15th, another, May 18th, near 

 Calhoun, Gordon county, on land that would produce, during a 

 ' seasonable' year, forty bushels of corn per acre, and this year not 

 over twenty bushels. 



Seed sown carelessly in drills, three feet apart, covered with a one- 

 horse plow; intending to 'chop out' to a stand of one stalk six 

 inches apart in the row; but failed to get a good stand, and the seed 

 came up badly from the deep and irregular covering. Worked out 

 same as for corn, plowing twice and hoeing once. 



By suggestion of Gov. Hammond, of South Carolina, I determined 

 to give the Syrup-making a fair trial; consequently ordered from 

 the Messrs. WiNSHiP, of Atlanta, a very complete horse-power mill, 

 with vertical iron rollers, that has worked admirably, crushing out 

 juice for eight gallons of Syrup per hour, worked by two mules, 

 with one hand to put in the Cane, and a boy to drive. 



