346 APPENDIX. 
of an exceedingly swect and pleasant flavor—entirely unlike any thing 
of the corn stalk family that I had ever tasted. It was, in fact, ready 
made candy ; and as soon as the younger members of the family and 
the negroes “ got the taste” of it, I was obliged to interdict its further 
use, in order to save seed. When the latter were fully ripe, I cut off 
the heads and saved them carefully, noticing, with some surprise, that 
the leaves or blades of fodder were still as fresh, green, and succulent 
as ever. The stalks were then cut off near the ground, and fed, leaves 
and all, to my horses, mules, and milch cows; all of which ate of it 
with the greatest apparent relish and avidity. Considering that crop 
disposed of for the scason, I paid no more attention to the stubble or 
stumps, until I happened to notice that, millet-like, they were shooting 
out anew, and pushing on for a second growth. This growth I 
watched with some interest, until the first frosts checked it; at which 
time the stalks were six feet high, full of broad and juicy leaves, and 
with the second crop of seed just making its appearance above the 
* boot.” 
Convinced by this time that it was valuable at least for the produc- 
tion of soiling forage and dried fodder, I next turned my attention to 
its saccharine properties, and fortunately induced my friend, Dr. Robt. 
Battey, of Rome, Ga., who was at that time pursuing the study of 
experimental chemistry in the well-known laboratory of Prof. Booth, 
of Philadelphia, to test it. As the result of his experiments, Dr. 
Battey sent me three small phials—one containing a fine syrup ; one a 
sample of crude, brown sugar, ; and the other.a very good sample of 
crystallized sugar. This, I believe, to be the first crystallized sugar 
ynade in the United States, from the juice of the sorgho sucré ; and, 
as Dr. Batty’s opinion of its value as a sugar plant, fully agreed with 
the reports of the French savans, who had investigated its properties, 
and with my own convictions, I disseminated the seed more widely 
during the year 1856, and planted nearly two acres, for the purpose of 
raising the seed largely, and more fully testing the saccharine property 
and the ability of the plant to bear repeated cuttings, like the Egyp- 
tian and other varieties of millet. It was planted very late, on thin 
land, and received but imperfect culture , and yet, I that year cut it 
three times, and saved a late crop of fodder from it in addition. The 
