336 MINNESOWA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
SUGAR AND SYRUP. 
REPORT ON SORGHUM. 
SETH H. KENNEY, MORRISTOWN. 
To the President and Members of the Minnesota State Horticultural Society: 
The Minnesota Early Amber Cane Association was long identified with 
the State Horticultural Society, and finally, by a vote of their executive 
committee, the funds of the association were turned over to the Horti- 
cultural Society. 
I have been requested to furnish a report for this society, which [ do, 
as follows: 
I planted last spring twenty-eight acres of the variety known as the 
Minnesota Early Amber Cane. The soil about the time of planting was 
very dry, and the seed did not come up as well as usual. In addition to 
this the cut worms on the older lands in some places took the entire crop. 
A cold summer, with cool nights and early frosts, made a slow growth, 
and September Ist it looked doubtful if the crop would ripen. But the 
hot weather in September ripened up the caneso that an excellent quality 
of syrup was obtained, that secured a rapid sale. 
Grinding commenced September 23rd. The total amount obtained on 
twenty-eight acres was 131 tons and 1173 pounds, at $2.00 per ton with the 
leaves on. A good yield would have produced at least 280 tons. The 
amount of cane purchased at the factory was 335 tons, 111 pounds. The 
total amount worked at the factory was 466 tons, 1284 pounds. This cane 
produced 45,900 gallons of juice. It was ground and boiled in fifteen days 
and three hours, and produced 5,050 gallons of syrup, averaging for the 
season about 336 gallons of syrup for each ten hours, this being a little 
over 33 gallons per hour; and using about 3,060 gallons of juice each ten 
hours, or about nine gallons of juice for one gallon of syrup. 
The value of this product at wholesale was forty cents per gallon, or an 
average value for each day of the syrup product of $134.40. 
The cost of the cane for one day’s work was $57, for the wood and daily 
running expenses, $26; making the total daily outlay $88. Counting the 
cane raised at the price of the cane bought, leaves a balance on each day’s 
work of $51.40, storage and barrels not included, nor interest on the in 
vestment. 
This has been the poorest season in thirty-three years of my experience. 
Not one-half a crop was gathered. The demand has been very much 
more than the supply. 
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