THE SUGAR SORGHO. 279 
too great a mass of earth, and that we cover them, as much as _possi- 
ble, with soil of a good quality, in order that their power of asssimila- 
tion may better develop itself, and produce the greatest benefit to the 
plant. 
Ch 2P Fl hort: 
HARVESTING—USE OF THE SEED—EXTRACTION OF THE SWEET JUICE. 
Tue sorgho should be gathered when the seed is completely ripe, that 
is to say, when it shows a deep chestnut color ; when it turns to car- 
mine, the commencement of fermentation is indicated. Plants are cut 
in a rough way, (while we are waiting for the invention of machines for 
the harvesting of sorgho upon the plan of those which already exist in 
the United States for the corn,) and then transported to the sheds or 
to the manufactory where they are to be worked up. They are stripped, 
aud then deprived of their tufts in various ways. One of the best con- 
sists in placing the bundles of canes on a platform, by the side of which 
they place some kind of a box or other receptacle. The workman, 
drawing towards him the stalks, cuts off successively the tufts, which 
fall to his right in the box. These are then taken away, and placed to 
dry with care. The least moisture which shows itself will deteriorate 
the seed. 
The separation of the seed is accomplished with flails, or thrashing 
machine of some sort. The heads which bear the grain being of a 
-very woody nature, may be employed as kindling to feed the fire under 
the boilers. The canes of the sorgho, when the season is propitious, 
that is to say, when it does not rain, may be preserved some consider- 
able time. It is much better, in this case, to leave them with their 
tufts, and not to strip them, except at the very time when they are to 
be used ; or, as in Algeria, the plants may be left in the field where 
they grew, as also in the southern district of France. In that case the 
panicles are removed for fear of loss of the seed. Unfortunately, these 
means are not sufficiently general and positive. They can never place 
at our disposal more than two months of time, and that generally ig 
