GANE SUGAR IN THE CELLS OF THE PLANT, 185 
be invaluable to the manufacturer, if he knew how to apply 
it, in order that he might avoid errors, in which much time 
and money would be thrown away. It is true, that by 
adopting a proper system of cultivation, the cane may be 
made to yield a juice of a pretty uniform character, yet we 
never can have the product under perfect control; the 
quality of the juice will vary within certain limits, with 
the variable influences of soil, season, situation, and other 
conditions. 
Itis desirable, oftentimes, to know what particular changes 
may have been the results of certain methods of culture, or 
of the use of special fertilizers. Improvement in the sac- 
charine quality of the juice, and in the health and vigor 
of the plant, are objects of constant solicitude to the 
planter: but without a criterion by which to mark his 
progress, how can he know whether he is doing well or ill? 
The characteristic properties of the two kinds of sugar 
usually found in sorghum juice, here first demand attention. 
In the ripe, unadulterated plant, the uncrystallizable sugar 
is found only in minute quantity, its presence being mani- 
fested only by the use of very delicate chemical tests. In 
ripe cane, which has hybridized with an inferior variety, 
or which has been grown upon unsuitable soil, or exposed 
to other improper influences, the disproportion between 
the two kinds of sugar is very much diminished, and the 
juice is more impure. In wnripe cane, grape sugar is 
Jargely predominant, and is often the exclusive product. 
It seems to be impossible to separate this sugar, along with 
the cane sugar, in the solid form, although a part of it may 
be made to assume a granular condition when cane sugar 
is not present, after evaporation and a long period of rest. 
Another part, however, permanently retains the liquid form 
under all circumstances, and this has been denominated 
fruit sugar, but a solution containing cane sugar is capa- 
16* 
