Emerson] 116 [December. 



Franklin Institute, Messrs, Isaac and M. C. Lea, Mr. R. 

 Vaux, and Dr. Smith. 



The death of Ellwood Morris, a member of this Society, 

 was announced as having taken place in November last in 

 North Carolina, while in the service of the Confederate 

 States. 



Dr. Emerson exhibited specimens of syrup and sugar 

 manufactured from the Sorghum cane, and described the 

 process by which the sugar was allowed to separate itself 

 and crystallize spontaneously. 



The culture, he said, of the Sorghum Saecharatum in our Middle, 

 Northern, and Western States, has spread with marvellous rapidity, 

 and in seven years, added millions of dollars to our agricultural re- 

 sources. The amount for 1862 cannot be less than six millions of 

 dollars for the saccharine products alone. From what has been al- 

 ready accomplished, and the further expansion sure to follow, we are 

 authorized to regard the introduction of the Chinese sugar-cane of 

 the Northern provinces, the richest acquisition to our agricultural 

 resources since that of cotton. It bids fair to secure us very soon 

 from the tropical monopoly which has so long existed for the supply 

 of sugar. The short history of its introduction into Europe and 

 America is highly interesting. 



In 1851, some seeds of various Chinese plants were sent from 

 Sbanghae to the Geographical Society of Paris by the Count de Mon- 

 tigny, the French Minister to China. These were distributed by the 

 Paris Geographical Society to diffei'cnt parts of France. Some went to 

 Toulon, where they were planted in the Marine Gardens, under the 

 direction of M. Robert. With all his care, he only succeeded in get- 

 ting one seed of the sugar-cane to germinate, and was so fortunate 

 as to guard the single offspring, and bring it to maturity. This 

 was in 1852. Some of the seed of the solitary plant fell into the 

 hands of a skilful gardener at Hyeres, who gathered his little crop 

 in 1853. Eight hundred of these seed were purchased by Vilmorin, 

 Andrieux & Co., seed merchants at Paris, who paid for them no less 

 than eight hundred francs ! M. Vilmorin planted his seed in 

 1854, and obtained a rich return. In the progress of their growth, 

 he made experiments with the plants in diflFerent stages, and at the 

 close of the year 1854, published his " Researches upon the Sorgo 

 Sucre." In November, 1854, Mr. D. Jay Browne, of the United 

 States Patent Ofl&ce, returned from Europe to America, bringing 



