294 APPENDIX. 
ALCOHOLIZATION OF THE STALKS OF INDIAN 
CORN AND THE SUGAR SORGHO. 
BY DURET, CHEMIST, PARIS, 1857. 
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Tue plant known under the name of sorgho, has been cultivated for 
a long time in France, but is not designated under that name in the 
west. It has been known under the name of broom corn, and under 
the name of millet, in Gascony and the department of Landes. In 
the early stages of growth, our indigenous sorgho differs very little 
from corn; has the some appearance, same leaf, same rapidity of 
growth. In proportion as the plant grows, the peculiar appearance 
of each is manifested. The leaves of the sorgho are less developed, 
its stalks more hardy, more woody, grow to a. greater height, whilst 
those of the corn, more tender and full, preserve the appearance of 
the sugar cane. This circumstance, which is met equally in the new 
sugar sorgho, causes us to think that it would be without doubt 
preferable to corn for the manufacture of sugar, because its juice 
should contain less mucilage. Every one knows that this vegetable 
product is injurious in the manufacture of sugar. The following 
article upon the sugar sorgho we find in the journal L’utile et 
Vagréable, for the month of April, 1855 : 
“The sugar sorgho (holeus saccharatus) has been introduced into 
France by M. Montigny, who has brought this plant from China, 
where it is cultivated like grain. It is there designated under the 
name of sugar cane of the north of China. The Chinese Tartars 
make great use of it. At the great exposition of Moscow, in 1852, 
some of the stalks of this kind of sorgho were exhibited under the 
title Précieux Gaoutlam de la Chine graminé. Various experiments 
in the cultivation of this plant have been made in several of our depart- 
ments, from which it has been proved that it ripens perfectly in the 
south of France. 
“A report of the Agricultural Assembly of Toulon, to the Minister 
of War, has communicated curious details upon the sugar sorgho in 
respect to the agricultural industry, and to the manufacture of sorgho, 
