166 THE CHINESE SUGAR CANE. 
from year to year, as also the use to which the spent wash 
may be applied where water is scarce, or at a distance. 
As a general thing, well water, if good, is better than 
river water for mixing with syrup, or other substances to 
be fermented, inasmuch as it holds in solution less vege- 
table matter. Spring water, which has lime in solution, 
is very good, provided it does not contain other minerals 
unsuitable for the purpose. ‘Trial in every case can 
alone settle this authoritatively. 
If the reports of the French chemists apply to the 
sorgho of this country, there need be no anxiety as to 
the success of its fermentation, possessing, as it does, a 
strong tendency towards alcohol even unaided. In all 
cases, however, I would add to the vat, as directed, one 
quarter per cent. of fresh crushed canes as a ferment. 
This, as in the case of grape stalks on wine, secures the 
result. If a brewery be near, by all means get fresh 
yeast from that. 
After one vat or cask has been put into fermentation, 
it will be easy to inoculate all the others from it, for on 
the bottom will be found, on drawing off, a grayish sub- 
stance, which will induce fermentation wherever it is 
applied to saccharine solutions. 
By many, the best flavors of the West India rums are 
attributed to the mixture with the wash of a certain 
amount of spent wash of previous distiliations; this is 
done generally in the proportion of one third or fourth; 
and in case this plan be found favorable to the sorgho, I 
will give a few simple directions on this head, which 
may be varied as experience dictates, when sorgho dis- 
tillation has become an znstitutvon among us. 
