STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 157 



Prof. Henry, Our farmers are inquiring about the use of the 

 bisulphate of lime, and will attempt, I think, the use of it. 



Mr. Whipple. I would like to ask Prof. Henry one question; 

 how much, in your opinion, does it improve the quality of the 

 syrup for home consumption to use lime for defecation? 



Prof. Henry. Well, I would say that it is this way: It is a 

 question of taste. There are people that like that strong sor- 

 ghum taste. When it is grown on ordinary land it is quite 

 strong, but not so marked on sandy land. Some people like it, 

 but as a general thing the market does not demand it. As a rule 

 people like to have some acid left in the syrup for baking pur- 

 poses. I should say that it injured it about fifty per cent. 



Mr. Smith. I think the difference is about twenty-five per 

 cent. That is, where the lime is used it makes that difference. 

 That is. I think there is about that difference in the process used 

 by Mr. Whipi^le and that of Mr. Kenney. I think it will make 

 fully twenty-five per cent difference in the value. 



A Delegate. I think if you do not know how to use the lime 

 you had better let it alone. I know in Farmington that you can- 

 not sell a barrel of syrup that has been defecated. But the syrup 

 that Mr. Day makes, the crude syrup, will sell; everybody wants 

 it. I say if you don't know how to use the lime you had better 

 let it alone. It spoils it for cooking purposes. 



Mr. Whipple. I believe that the most that has been said on 

 the question is in regard to the commercial value and in regard 

 to manufacturing on a large scale. One man remarked that the 

 small growers did not dare to come here. Kow, I am one of the 

 small growers and I dare to come; and I believe yet that I am 

 on the right track for a small grower. When you can convince 

 me that I am wrong I will change. Now, it has been stated that 

 the market demands a clarified syrup. I don't know but Min- 

 neapolis is an exception; I know that it is in a great many 

 respects, but I think not in this, for I am told that it is the 

 crude syrup they want. They can sell it to the bakeries and to 

 the refinery men, and for family use; for table use they cannot 

 sell anything but the crude syrup. It may make some difference 

 in the quality of the syrup, but I claim that there is not twenty- 

 five per cent, nor twenty per cent, difference in the sale of the 

 two kinds. It is on the table here and I will leave it to anyone 

 in the house, after he tastes it, to decide on his own judg- 

 ment. In regard to raising and manufacturing I have a little 

 different way from those that manufacture on a large scale. I 



