176 VALUE OF SORGHUM IN SUGAR PRODUCTION. 
of uncrystallizable sugar was found to be so low relatively 
in the juice of canes necessarily but imperfectly matured. 
M. Madinier writes: ‘It is certain that from this plant 
erystallizable sugar can be extracted similar in every re- 
spect to that made from the cane of the tropics. Of this 
I entertain the highest conviction, which is supported by 
authentic, though not very numerous facts. * * * The 
stalks of the sorgho contain crystallizable sugar, without 
furnishing a greater quantity of molasses than the cane. 
An experiment made at Veriéries, with Clerget’s apparatus, 
showed the juice to contain 16 per cent. of sugar, of which 
there were only 103 per cent. crystallizable, and 53 per 
cent. uncrystallizable. Yet, we can by no means depend 
upon a result gained from plants grown in the Department 
of the Seine and the Oise, in a climate altogether beyond 
the range Adapted to the sorgho.” 
M. Louis Vilmorin, of Paris, alluding to his own experi- 
ments upon canes grown, no doubt, in a more favorable 
climate than those of which M. Madinier gives an analysis, 
says:* ‘The crystallization of the sugar of the sorgho, it 
seems, should be easily obtained in all cases where the cane 
ean be sufficiently ripened; and as the proportion of the sugar 
is an unfailing index of ripeness, it follows that we should 
always be sure of obtaining a good crystallization of juices, 
the density of which exceeds 1:075, while weaker ones could 
not yield satisfactory results after concentration. 
“T attribute this peculiarity to the fact that the sugar is 
preceded in the juice by a gummy. principle, which seems 
to be transformed, at a later date, for its proportion dimin- 
ishes in exact correspondence with the increase of the 
saccharine matter. 
* Ag. Rep. for 1856, p. 312. M. Vilmorin’s letter is dated April 20, 
1857. 
