COXFLICTIXG OPDTIOXS. 5 



The proportion of sugar in the stalks continued to increase until the seeds 

 were in the milky state. * « » Xhe ripeness of the seeds does not appear 

 much to lessen the production of sugar, at least in the climate near Paris; but 

 in other countries, where it matures when the weather is still warm, the eflFect 

 raav be different. 



6. J. H. Hammond, Silverton, S. C. (Annual Report, Department 

 of Agriculture, 1855, p. 282), found, by his experiment (he records 

 one only) with sorghum, taken before the seed was in the milk, when 

 it was in the milk, and when it was mature, that 



The youngest canes had rather the most, and the oldest rather the least, sac- 

 charine matter. * « * Beginning to cut the cane as soon as the head is 

 fully developed, it may be secured for a month before it will all ripen : how long, 

 after that, I do not know. 



c. Dr. C. T. Jackson (Annual Report, Department of Agriculture, 

 1856, p. 307) found that 



The juice from stalks with quite ripe seeds was by far the sweetest, while the 

 green ones, which were just in flower, contained but very little saccharine 

 matter. 



Upon page 312, Louis Vilmorin is quoted as saying: 

 The crystallization of the sugar of the sorgho, it seems, should be easily ob- 

 tained in all cases where the cane can be sufiBciently ripened; and, as the pro- 

 portion of the sugar is an unfailing index of ripeness, it follows, that we could 

 always be sure of obtaining a good crystallization of juices, the density of 

 which exceeds 1.075, while weaker ones could not yield satisfactory results after 

 concentration. 



Again, he says, same page: 



This difficulty [of purging, through presence of gum] only presents itself in 

 the employment of unripe canes; for, as soon as the juices attain the density 

 of I.OSO and more, they contain little else than crystallizable sugar, and their 

 treatment presents no difficulty. 



d. Dr. C. T. Jackson, in his report (Annual Report, Department of 

 Agriculture, 1857, p. 187), says: 



A ripe plant yielded a juice of 1.062 sp. gr., which yielded 16.6 per cent of 

 thick syrup, which crystallized almost wholly into cane sugar, the whole mass 

 becoming solid with crystals. 



And he concludes : 



From these researches, I am fully satisfied that both the Chinese and the 

 African varieties of sorghum will produce sugar of the cane type, perfectly and 

 abundantly, whenever the canes will ripen their seeds. 



Again, he says : 



The unripe canes can be employed for making molasses and alcohol, but, as 

 before stated, will not yield true cane sugar. 



e. The committee of the United States Agricultural Society, ap- 



