174 



SORGHUM. 



As has been well known for many years past, crude barn-yard manure must 

 not be used directly on sucjar producing plants. Plat No. 11 draws attention 

 once more to the fact. No noticeable increase in the amount of sugar was 

 caused by it; but a point of much greater importance, is the positive statement 

 of experienced men that sugar will not crystallize from syrup of canes which 

 have been fertilized with it. A heavy dressing on corn land loses its injurious 

 qualities in the course of a 3'ear, and sorghum following in rotation is benefited 

 by it. 



The expression " extractable sugar" has been used in this table to indicate 

 that a portion only of the total amount of sugar has been extracted by the mill; 

 the bagasse or crushed cane, when it is burned under the boilers or thrown on 

 the compost heap, still contains one-third of thf sugur produced by the plant. 

 If the profits of the business are so large that manufacturers can content them- 

 selves wiih two-thirds of the sugar, farmers should endeavor to turn this bagasse 

 into food for sheep, by the process of ensilage. After a struggle which has now 

 lasted more than tweniy-five years, sorghum to day does not occupy its true 

 position among sugar producing plants. Its advocates justly claim that this is 

 due to our lack of information, not only in regard to the mauufacture of sugar 

 from it, but also in respect to its proper cultivation. 



* 16 per cent phosphoric acid. 



