396 SORGHUM. 



The constituents of the ash from the several portions of the plant is 

 not known, but the analysis of the ash of two samples of the entire 

 cane is given, Agricultural Report, 1880, p. 126, and the analysis of 

 the ash of the seed closely resembles that of maize. If, then, we cal- 

 culate the amount of these several constituents of the ash upon such 

 basis, Ave have, in the 357.1 pounds above, as follows: 



Pounds. 



Potash 180 8 



Soda 9 



Limt- ofi 9 



Magnesia ' 37 1 



Iron oxide 2 



Phosphoric acid 24 2 



Sulphuric acid : 28.9 



Chlorine 28 2 



Silica 19 9 



357 1 



Loss of Siigar in Drying Sorghum. 

 The following experiment Avas made with a bundle of Honduras sor- 

 ghum, which, when cut, contained from 12 to 14 per cent of sugar in 

 the juice. The cane was dried thoroughly and rapidly in a room 

 where the temperature Avas about 70° F. Of this dry cane, 502 gi'ams. 

 were taken and cut into thin shavings and beaten in a mortar; 1,300 

 grams, of water Avas added, and, after digesting for half an liour, the 

 juice Avas expressed, amounting to 1,189 grams., or 65.97 per cent of 

 the moistened cane. The juice gave the folloAving analysis: 



Specific gravity 1028 



Sucrose Per cent . 1 52 



Glucose do 2 28 



Solids not sugar do. ... 2 63 



It is obvious that the sugar had been almost entirely lost during the 

 drying of the sorghum. Since this cane Avas dried under circumstances 

 eA'en more favorable than those attending the drying of larger quanti- 

 ties, it is clear that a very large proportion of the nutriment is lost, as 

 in the case of corn fodder or fodder corn dried for food. The preser- 

 vation of such food in silos would appear commendable, since, in 

 coarser grasses, the large percentage of sugars they contain is, in the 

 longer period required for their drying, almost Avholly lost through sIoav 

 fermentation. 



Bagasse as Fuel. 



Valuable as Ave have shown the bagasse to be for the sugar which it 

 contains, the paper pulp Avhich may be produced from it, as a food to 

 be preserved in a silo, or as a source of manure, it is yet true that, to 

 many of our Western farmers, as to the planters of Cuba and other sugar 

 producing regions, it is the cheapest (if not the only a\'ailable) fuel, 

 and Avill continue to be used for such purpose, as it has been for years. 



