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2940 REPORT OF THE OOMMISSIONER OF AGRICULTURE. 
tainable according to the heretofore accepted theory. There is some 
uncertainty about the weight of a cell, which may account for the 
discrepancy between the theoretical and the actual results. It is — 
possible, however, that the theory may need reconstruction, In any 
case the yield actually obtained is most gratifying. , 
I have made no mention in the above of the exceptionally large 
yields of some special strikes made during the season. One strike 
gave 109 pounds of merchantable sugar for each cellful of chips. 
The seconds from this would doubtless have brought the yield up to 
130 pounds. But the general reader and the prospective manutact- 
urer are more interested in average than in special results. It seems 
safe to assume that a mean of 100 pounds of sugar and 12 gallons of 
molasses can be made from each ton of cleaned sorghum cane of aver- 
age richness. 
Science suggests several methods for the complete separation of 
the cane sugar from the grape sugar and the ‘ 
further experiments in this direction should be the work of the near 
future. As yet almost nothing has been done towards the develop- 
ment of methods of separating the grape sugar from the not sugar. 
This subject presents a most inviting field for the chemist. 
THE FUTURE OF THE SORGHUM-SUGAR INDUSTRY. 
The sorghum-sugar industry now seems to have an assured future. 
The quantities of sugar and molasses and other valuable products 
obtained from each ton of the cane and from each acre of land, well 
renumerate the farmer for his crop and the manufacturer for his in- 
vestment and the labor and skill required to operate the factory. 
An acre of land cultivated in cesta yields a greater tonnage of 
valuable products than in any other crop, with the possible excep- 
tion of hay. Under ordinary methods of cultivation, 10 tons of 
cleaned cane per acre is somewhat above the average, but the larger 
varieties often exceed 12, while the small Early Amber sometimes 
goes below 8 tons per acre. Let 74 tons of cleaned cane per acre be 
assumed for the ilieteaions This corresponds to a gross yield of 
10 tons for the farmer, and at $2 per ton gives him $20 per acre for 
his crop. These 74 tons of clean cane will yield— 
Pounds. 
UIT ae oN a ac yehittes othe AA ROI ana Bho ads at Lie eat RR OILY ava ala ata) eo 750 
IVEOTA SHES Biss (Pay Se oho i ciee colin de aU pa cia tans ae lke Ea re ea emalisda ire ie amrsye te eecvevel Sci al is cee ate eae 1, 000 
COR ae een tuar ta ernutie ei CE SOMA SGAE Vath e eines eetslanchs tenth ee) tal aa 900 
Fodder (green leaves).......... HN MOR een Sn GSN a UO MISA RMIT Sic oc 1, 500 
Exhausted Chips (Gre). sk jee sin clea ise aeae Stee peaiend ous tafe! ieliniacsles suaejo: he ae 1,500 
PAGED oy! occ ny oeiasitie hnwiiai's Siw calec eow atk, bg ip oleae Welepaeha ana Wlaitete eget su +/¢ ers Lath een 5, 650 
The first three items, which are as likely to be transported as wheat 
or corn, aggregate 2,650 pounds per acre. 
Sorghum will yield 74} tons of cleaned cane per acre more surely 
than corn will yield 30 bushels or wheat 15 bushels per acre. 
In the comparison, then, of products which bear transportation, 
these crops stand as follows: 
Sorghum, at 7$ tons, 2,650 pounds per acre. 
Corn, at 30 bushels, 1,680 pounds per acre. 
Wheat, at 15 bushels, 900 pounds per acre. 
The sugar from the sorghum is worth, say, 5 cents per pound; the 
molasses, 1¢ cents per pound; the seed. } cent per pound, 
not sugar,” and. 
