203 



the most careful management. I must therefore conclude, that 

 the Sorghum cultivated in this country does not secrete cane sugar 

 or true sugar ; its saccharine matter being purely glucose in a 

 semifluid form. 



As a matter of science this result is interesting, in showing the 

 integrity of character pertaining to the genus in which this plant 

 is botanically placed ; the sweet grasses yielding fruit sugar, 

 while the maize produces cane sugar only. 



In its economical bearings we might wish that the sorghum 

 secreted cane sugar, for the values of cane sugar and glucose are 

 very different. From the best authorities we learn that the 

 power of imparting sweetness in cane sugar, is between two and 

 one half and three times as great as that of dry glucose, and the 

 semifluid sugar of the Sorghum containing water, nearly four 

 pounds of this will be required, to equal one pound of sugar in 

 ordinary use. As a raw material for the production of spirit, for 

 which it seems well adapted, the glucose of the Sorghum may 

 prove valuable, and as an addition to a forage crop, the plant 

 may be found to possess a high agricultural importance. 



Dr. John Bacon made a statement confirmatory of the 

 results arrived at by Dr. Hayes. He was unable to 

 obtain any crystals of cane sugar. 



The Chairman, Dr. Jackson, said he had obtained 

 crystals by evaporation of the syrup over sulphuric acid : 

 "whether they were of cane or grape sugar he could not 

 say. Cane sugar had been found in the plant by Euro- 

 pean chemists. He had made extensive investigations 

 into its chemical properties and economic value, for the 

 United States Government, which would be published in 

 the Patent-Office Report. 



Mr. N. H. Bishop exhibited some of the seed of the 

 Chinese Sugar-cane, and remarked that it was imported 

 from France and not China, as might be supposed. It 

 was estimated by seedsmen that ten tons would be sold 

 in Boston this season for planting, and that one pound 

 would plant an acre. 



