REPORT OF M. HARDY. 339 
For my part, I have extracted from the stalks a product which will 
not be without its uses, and of which I will speak again. 
The sorgho sucré is, so to speak, perennial, for I have plants which 
are now at the end of their second year of growth and are commenc- 
ing to grow for the third season, and giving every evidence of an in- 
tention to again complete the maturity of their growth. But I do 
not suppose it would be useful to preserve a plantation throughout 
several seasons. I believe that the attempt would prove more trouble- 
some than profitable. The second year the stalks scarcely attain a 
height of one and a half or two yards. 
These first experiments which I lay before your Excellency are not 
the only ones undertaken by me; I have made diligent study of its 
virtues, and obtain the following results : 
The stalks which had been topped to gather the seed, were allowed 
to stand as they grew until the month of February last. I made ex- 
tractions of juice at various periods. 
First attempt (made in the latter part of September at the gather- 
ing of the seed). Obtained sixty-seven of juice for one hundred of 
stalks ; this juice showed a density of eight and three quarters. 
November 28, I obtained fifty-two per cent. of juice ; density nin- 
and a half. 
January 31, obtained fifty-one per cent. of juice of a density of 
eight and a half. 
Finally, February 16, last trial, I obtained 49:5 per cent. of juice, 
with a density of eight degrees. 
Thus, from the end of September until the end of November, the 
stalks standing in the field lost nothing of their proportion of saccha- 
rine principle ; for if the quantity of juice had diminished some fiftcen 
per cent., representing 0°66 per cent. of alcohol, on the other hand, 
this juice had gained some 0°75 per cent. in richness, representing 
ination, is contained in the fibers which make upthe inner part of the seed hull, and 
in the compact silicious structure of the hullitself. The fibers look like hemp fibers 
dyed. The hull, after being subjected to pi olonged boiling, is not unlike in appearance 
a piece of sheet India rubber. The color of the seed covering is not black, as is gen- 
erally supposed, but a very deep purple. From the readiness with which the dye 
separates f.om the hull, it seems as if this feature of sorghe culture would prove far 
from unimportant. 
