924 OTHER PRODUCTS. 
removed with the cane. This use of the trash and of all 
other waste materials, derived from the plant or introduced 
during the process of manufacture, will generally be found 
preferable to any other uses to which they may be applied. 
It has been found that a cheap and good quality of paper 
can be produced from the crushed cane, and where a paper 
mill is convenient, it may be more economical to dispose of 
it for that purpose, provided that a larger quantity of ma- 
terials, as valuable for manure as the trash, is purchased 
and returned again for the price for which the latter was 
sold. 
There is another use, however, to which cane trash may 
be put, that well deserves attention. It has been known 
for some years past, that the Chinese produce in fabrics of 
silk and wool a beautiful red color, which is derived from 
the seeds of sorghum. Experiments made both in this 
country and in Europe, likewise show that the same dye 
may be obtained from the crushed canes. For this purpose 
they must be sheltered from the rains after they are re- 
ceived from the mill, and thrown in close piles until fer- 
mentation sets in. Afterward the heaps are to be opened, 
and stirred frequently to prevent heating, which would 
destroy the coloring matter. When their color has changed 
to red or reddish brown, they are then cut up, washed and 
dried. A weak lye of caustic potash may be used to extract 
the color from them.* By neutralizing this alkaline solu- 
tion with a weak solution of oil of vitriol the color falls in 
the form of red flakes, which are easily soluble in alcohol, 
alkalies, and diluted acids. 
To*Mr. Henri Erni, Chemist in the National Agricul- 
tural Department, we are indebted for the following obser- 
* A. Winters, in Liebig’s Jahresbericht, 1859, p. 754; quoted by Weth- 
erill, Ag. Rep. 1862, p. 535. 
