150 SORGHUM. 



creased amounts of sugar, aud since the percentage of juice is about in 

 tlie inverse ratio, it shows that the amount of water in the plant varies 

 but very little, whether in seasons of rain or drought. 



But the very general belief that the character of the juice undergoes 

 great change, due to the occurrence of heavy rains, seems hardly to be 

 supported by the facts. In fact, it would be of great importance if 

 these opinions were more generally submitted to the test of experiment. 

 If we look over the meteorological data froin the Signal Office, which 

 has just been given, we shall see that, on the 10th aud 11th of Septem- 

 ber, 1881, there was a rain-fall of 1.73 inches, which succeeded a season 

 of protracted drought. It would seem, then, in accordance with the 

 generally accepted belief, that we should obtain evidence of this in a 

 greatly increased percentage of juice ; but an examination of the tables 

 of analyses shows no appreciable change in either of the varieties. 



AVERAGE RESULTS OF ANALYSES OF THIRTY-EIGHT VARIETIES OF SORGHUM MADE 

 DURING THE WORKING PERIOD IN 1880 AND 1881. 



Per cent juice expressed 



Specific gravity of juice 



Per cent glucose in juice 



Per cent solids in juice . 



Per cent sucrose in juice . ■_■ ■ 

 Per cent sucrose available in juice. 



No. of analyses 



No. of varieties 



It appears from the above, that there was, during the working 

 period, on these thirty-eight varieties of sorghum, in 1881, 



A loss of 1.6 per cent in the juice, 



A gain of 9.9 per cent in specific gravity, 



A gain of 1.0 per cent in glucose, 



A loss of 7.5 per cent in solids, 



A gain of 23.7 per cent in sucrose, 



A gain of 45.6 per cent in available sucrose, over the results 

 obtained in 1880. 

 The conclusion appears established, that if only the crop of sorghum 

 shall have g(jt fairly under way before the drouglit, there is no crop 

 which more effectually withstands it — and the result is a crop of cane, 

 less in the aggregate weight, but much richer in sugar than a crop 

 grown under the conditions of moisture and temperature which, with 

 maize, give the best results ; for, it will be remembered that this 

 season of 1881 was most unfavorable for maize, much of it being 

 wholly lost. •' 



