154 SORGHUM. 



MONTHLY MEAN TEMPERATURE. 



1881. 1882. 



May 67 4 55 S 



June 69.3 69 1 



Julv 76 9 70 1 



August 76.7 70.7 



Average 72.4 66.4 



RAIN-FALL DURING THE SAME PERIOD. 



1881. 1882 



Mav 3.63 8 55 



June 4.71 9 !t3 



Julv 1.07 2 44 



August 64 4 87 



Total 10.05 25 . 79 



From these results, we find the averag;e temperature during the growing 

 season of cane this year, fully 6° F. below that of last year, and the rain-fall ex- 

 ceeded that of last year by fifteen (15) inches. 



The season was too wet to cultivate the crop properly, and too cold for the 

 proper development of the sugar in the cane. This last is readily shown by a 

 comparison of the amount of sugar found in the cane this year and last. Last 

 year we found in the Early Amber cane, at its maturity, an average of 



Per cent. 



Cane sugar 12 08 



Grape " 2.47 



And a specific gravity of 1.070 



while this year, the same variety under like circumstances, only revealed the 



presence of 



Per cent. 



Cane susar 8 20 



Grupe " 3 fiC) 



And a gravity of 1060 



■ We began planting sorghum the 2nd of May, and finished the 22nd of June. 



The varieties planted were Early Amber, Early Orange, and Kansas Orange. 



The land upon which the sorghum was grown, was rich prairie land, which 

 had been cultivated for upward of twenty years. The preceding crop was 

 broom corn. 



As before stated, the extremely wet spring gave the crop a very late start, 

 and the weeds had the advantage. Just as the last difficulty was overcome, the 

 chintz bugs made their appearance, and threatened the destruction of the 

 whole crop. With the exception, however, of lessening the yield somewhat on 

 a thirty-eight acre field, the damage done by them was nominal. 



EFFECTS OF FROST UPON SORGHUM. 



The investigations concerning this question, practically reconcile the 

 discordant reports in regard to this matter. It has been shown that, 

 when fully matured, the sorghum withstands even hard frosts without 

 detriment — but that, if immature, the effect is most disastrous. 



It is shown also, that this disastrous restdt is due not directly to the 

 effect of the frost, but to the subsequent warm weatlier, which rapidly 

 induces fermentation with inversion of sugar in the frosted and imma- 

 ture cane. 



