CONFLICTING OPINIONS. 7 



Contrary to my expectations, I found that the expressed sorgho juice of ripe 

 cane, whether neutralized by lime or not, refused to crystallize; for what solidified 

 or granulated after long standing of the syrup, was grape sugar. 



Aud, iu a foot-note, he says : 

 The juice from unripe cane readily crystallized. 



I: Iu a pamphlet eutitled " The Sorgho Manufacturer's Manual," by 

 Jacobs Brothers, Columbus, Ohio, 1866, p. 4, it is stated that 



The cane is in the best state for harvesting when part of the seed is beginning 

 to turn black; or, in other words, ichen the seed is in the doughy state. 



I. A correspondent of the Dej)artment of Agriculture (Annual Re- 

 port, 1867, p. 359) says : 



I take the sorghum (Otaheitana) when just fairly in bloom. In no case do I 

 allow the seed to mature when I wish to make sugar ; but, for No. 1 syrup, I let 

 the cane mature. 



VI. Tlie Sorgho Journal, William Clough, editor, February, 1869, 

 p. 26, speakiug of Xeeazaua, says : 



Do not miiiJ the panicle; if the juice has a clear, sweet taste, even if the 

 panicle is only in bloom, cut and work the cane. 



Again, p. 92, under an article eutitled " Immature Cane best for 

 Sugar," it says : 



The theory that cane should be harvested before fully ripe, when designed for 

 sugar, has been further confirmed by the experience of this year. The other 

 idea, that the cane should be fully ripe, was never coufirmed by facts. 



Page 58, it says : 



The weight of evidence, just now, is in favor of cutting as the seed is passing 

 from the milk to the dough state. 



Again, p. 73 : 



Cut the cane as soon as the seeds are formed. * * * Cut the cane as 

 soon as they acquire a clear, sweet taste. This may occur, in some seasons, 

 when the cane is in the flower; and, in other seasons, not till the seed is fully 

 formed. 



n. E. W. Skinner, of Sioux City, Iowa, says (Annual Eeport, De- 

 partment of Agriculture, 1873, p. 393) : 



The best syrup is made from cane not fully ripened. 



0. Iu his report ou " Early Amber Cane," by Dr. G. A. Goessmann, 

 of Amherst, Mass., 1879, he says, p. 9 : 



The safest way to secure the full benefit of the Early Amber cane crop, for 

 syrup and sugar manufacture, is to begin cutting the canes when the seed is 

 full grown, yet still soft. 



p. In the Sorgho Hand-Book, published by the Blymyer Manufac- 

 turing Compauy, Cincinnati, Ohio, 1880, it is directed, upon p. 8: 

 The cane should be cut when the seed is in the dough. 



