590 The Chinese Sugar-Cane. [December, 



The lime is requisite to neutralize a portion of the acid in the 

 juice ; the true proportion must be determined by well-conducted 

 experiments. 



The cost of making the Syrup in upper Georgia, in my opinion, 

 will not exceed ten to fifteen cents per gallon. This I shall be able 

 to test another season, by planting and working up fifty acres of the 

 cane. 



I am satisfied that this plant will enable every farmer and planter 

 in the Southern States to make at home all the Syrup required for 

 family use ; and I believe that our Chemists will soon teach us how 

 to convert the Syrup into Sugar, for export, as one of the staples of 

 our favored clime. 



Obtaining such unlocked for success, with the Chinese Sugar- 

 Cane, I concluded to try our common Corn. From a ' new 

 ground,' planted 3 by 3, one stalk to a hill, a week beyond the roast- 

 ing-ear stage, I selected thirty stalks. 



Weight of 30 stalks, 



" " juice, . - . 



" " crushed stalks, - - - 



Loss in crushing, - . - _ 



Yield of Syrup, - - _ - 



The Syrup of a peculiarly disagreeable taste, entirely unfit for 

 table use. 



Richard Peters. 



Atlanta, Georgia, September, 1856." 



This thorough experiment by means of proper machinery, in 

 Georgia, serves to corroborate the opinion expressed by Mr. Orth 

 of Indiana, in relation to the sugar-yielding properties of this plant. 

 And, should further experience confirm these views, and fulfill these 

 anticipations concerning the qualities and adaptations of this plant, 

 the benefit conferred by its introduction to American Agriculture, 

 will outstretch the power of arithmetic to compute, and of numbers 

 to express. 



The test of good humor is to wake a man up in the middle of the 

 night, and ask him to lend you five shillings. If he makes the 

 change without grumbling, he is a good humored man. 



