REPORT OF THE CHEMIST. 103 
through the mill, no green leaves were upon the stalks, and it was 
brought after several days of dry weather, so that the percentage of 
juice which it contained was comparatively low; but, as is shown by 
the specific gravity and its yield in sirup, the increased yield from the mill 
after it was repaired was most decided and satisfactory. 
I give below the results obtained in the four experiments alluded to, 
Nos. 12, 13, 14, and 15. By reference to the first table, it will be seen 
that the average of juice obtained in experiments 12 to 15, inclusive, 
was 57.16 per cent. of the raw stalks, and that the percentage of sirup 
in this juice averaged 20.29. 
The specifie gravity of the juice averaged 1.087. We have, then, the 
result of a good mill, as compared with the one used in the first experi- 
ments, the following: 
Per cent. of | 
Man juice un- Specific gravity Per cent. of 
stripped | of juice. ee 
stalks. { juice. 
| ir = bobbi oe 
| 
EERE io ela oa ath i aia a in eons ia ee | 48. 96 1, 058 | 15.18 
Lape ele cai ie TE ea EE PA el | 5.16 |” | Tost = | 20:29 
| | 
By comparing the percentage of juice obtained and the specific gravity 
of the juice in the first and last experiments, it will be seen that the 
former results are to the latter as 100 to 175; while if we compare the 
percentage of juice obtained and the percentage of sirup in the juice, 
the former experiments in their results are to the latter as 100 is to 156. 
This apparent discrepancy is due to the fact that when the latter experi- 
ments were made it was possible for me to carry the concentration of 
the sirup to a greater density than in the former cases, and hence a 
given amount of sirup in this latter case represents a far higher content 
of sugar than in the former; but these results clearly indicate that with 
a good mill results from 50 to 75 per cent. greater than those obtained 
in my experiments could be confidently relied upon. 
The character of the maize and sorghum operated upon still remains 
for consideration. As has been already stated, the maize-stalks had 
been stripped of their ears three or four weeks before they were cut for 
the mill. Itis much to be desired, and is contemplated in the further 
experiments, to determine whether this was the time when their content 
of sugar was at the maximum. It is by no means improbable that had 
they been cut when the grain had begun to form, and was still in its 
milky state, that the product of sugar would have been greater. At 
least further experiments are needed to learn at what time the stalk may 
be most profitable as a sugar-producing plant. 
Certain experiments upon record seem to establish the fact that, for 
one variety of corn at least, that period when the kernel is in the milky 
state is the time when the content of crystallizable sugar in the stalk is 
atits maximum. But this needs the confirmation of further experiments, 
since it is a matter of great importance. It is also by no means improb- 
able that by careful selection, varieties of maize may be grown far sur- 
passing any now known as sugar-producing plants. At the present, as 
in the past, all efforts in the cultivation of maize have tended in quite 
another direction, and with results very highly satisfactory. There is 
good reason to believe that certain varieties of sweet corn may be found 
te yield a much greater amount of sugar than has been obtained from 
the common corn operated upon in the above experiments. (See Report 
Department of Agriculture, 1877, page 250.) But this remains a question 
