AVERAGE RESULTS OF ANALYSES OF SORGHUM, ETC. 211 



Practically Little Difference in the Varieties of Sorghum a-s to their Content 



of Sugar. 



The results of the investigations at the Department of Agriculture 

 liave sboTvn the remarkable uniformity of the several varieties of sor- 

 ghum as sugar producing plants when fully developed; and have also 

 shown the diiferent varieties to vaiy widely in the time required for 

 their full development, varying, as has been shown, year after year, 

 fully three mouths as between the earlier and later maturing varieties. 



This fact of the wide variation in different varieties in their period 

 of reaching full maturity, although previously recognized, has not re- 

 ceived the consideration which its extreme importance demanded, as is 

 evinced by the fact, that at present, as for the past thirty years, those 

 varieties are largely grown in the northern states which could only 

 reach maturity at rare intervals and in exceptional seasons in these 

 latitudes. This satisfactorily accounts for the occasional production 

 of crystallizable sirups, and the general failure to secure similar results 

 continuously. 



Comparative Value, During the Working Period of the Different Varieties 



of Sorghum. 



From the following table it is possible to judge quite accurately as 

 to the comparative values of the different canes for the production 

 of sugar. These values are applicable more especially to the latitude 

 of Washington, and it will be seen later that certain canes which do 

 not staud high in the list, when grown in this section, are very likely 

 to prove valuable where the growing season is longer. 



Again, those which mature quickest, and also have a long working 

 period, are the ones especially recommended for culture in more 

 northern latitudes. 



In this table the canes are arranged in the order of their compara- 

 tive value, as shown from the large number of analyses recorded. It 

 must not be inferred, however, that it is possible to state positively 

 that this order may not be somewhat modified by future experience: 

 it certainly would be somewhat changed were any one characteristic 

 of the juice used as the basis of comparison to the exclusion of aU 

 others. It has been attempted to give due weight to aU the factors 

 which tend to show the good or bad qualities of the canes. 



Among the points which have the most direct bearing on the 

 determination as to the value of any cane for any locality are the 

 following : 



1. Other things being equal, that cane is best adapted to any local- 



