204 COMPARISON OF SOUTHERN CANE AND SORGHUM. 
ations, and the juice is poor, ‘requiring double the quantity 
to the hogshead that it does when the canes are of less 
rank growth.”* 
Sorghum.—More sensitive in this respect than Southern 
sugar cane. The same kind of influence is exerted upon 
the juice by the soil of new land, but in a much higher 
degree. The Chinese sorghum is more liable to injury from 
this source than the imphees. The most suitable soil is 
deep, rich, elevated, and calcareous. (See Ch. VIII.) 
7. Manurzs. S. cane.—When animal manure is largely 
supplied to the plant, the ammonia augments in the juice 
the substances containing nitrogen (albuminous and glutin- 
ous matter), and hinders or totally prevents crystallization 
of the sugar. The same effect follows in the South after 
rotation with the cow-pea.+ 
Sorghum.—Exhibits very markedly in the character of 
its juice, exposure to similar influences. The ammonia 
sometimes imparts its taste to the syrup from cane largely 
supplied with barn-yard manure. 
8. MATURITY OF THE JUICE. S. cane.—Juice matured, 
or of the greatest saccharine richness before the time when 
the plant is in flower, during which time and afterward its 
yield of cane sugar rapidly diminishes, the latter being 
transformed into other substances, starch in the seed, or 
woody fiber in the stem. 
SorcHuM.—Juice matures after the flowering process 
has passed, and when the seed is hardening (imphee) or | 
perfectly ripe (Chinese cane). Previously the saccharine 
matter was almost wholly grape sugar. 
* Patent Office Report, 1849-50, p. 168. 
+ Benjamin, De Bow’s Resources of S. and W. States. 
