EFFECTS OF TEMPERATURE AND EAIX FALL OX SORGHUM. 149 



tioned ; for, although plauted early (April 29th), the ground had been 

 carefully prepared, had a good exposure to the sun, and the crop came 

 forward rapidly, so that it was fully two feet high before the seed was 

 planted for the third time in the larger fields. 



In yery marked contrast, were the results seen upon a portion of the 

 department ground. A portion of the sorghum plat was plowed up 

 through a mistake, and upon June 13th (forty -six days after the first 

 planting), this portion was re-planted with ten yarieties of sorghum. 

 But neither of these yarieties attained any deyelopment, the ayerage 

 not being eyen 10 per cej<t of the crop secured from the gi'ound im- 

 mediately surrounding this re-planted portion; and, throughout the 

 season, these ten yarieties were ■^tuuted, withered, sickly, and eyideutly 

 the result of the drought which followed elesely upon this planting, 

 and before a good start had been made by the plants. 



On the other hand, the seyeral yarieties grown upon the field from 

 the first planting suftered comparatively little harm ; and yet, although 

 withstanding this seyere drought during July and August, the result 

 was evident in a mucli lighter crop than was secured in 1880, as will 

 be seen by the following : 



The average weight of stripped stalks per acre of thirty-eight yarie- 

 ties grown in 1880 was 31,409 pounds, the maximum being 50,017, 

 and the minimum 13,839, pounds per acre. 



The ayerage weight of stripped stalks per acre of thirty-four varie- 

 ties grown in 1881 was 22,524 pounds, the maximum being 33,538, 

 and the minimum being 10,750, pounds per acre. 



It is interesting to consider the meteorological data of 1880 and 1881, 

 in connection with the results shown by the tables representing the 

 average results of analyses for these years. It will be remembered, 

 that the yarieties of sorghum grown in 1880 and 1881 were mainly the 

 same ; the land upon which it was grown was the same ; the mill by 

 which the juice was expressed was the same, and care was taken to 

 maintain it in good order. It will, however, be seen, that the average 

 percentage of juice, by weight, obtained from the stripped stalks was 

 greater in 1881 than in 1880 — that in 1881 averaging 64.02 per cent, 

 while that in 1880 averaged only 62 per cent. 



It will be seen, also, that the specific gravity of the juices from the 

 thirteenth to the nineteenth stage, inclusive (the period when the canes 

 should be worked for sugar), differs greatly, the average specific gravity 

 being, for this period, in 1880, 1.071, while in 1881 it was 1.078, this 

 showing, as is seen by the analysis, the presence of a larger quantity 

 of sugar in these juices of 1881. 



The increase in specific gravity as will be seen, is due to the in- 



