418 SORGHUM. 



Reference to the average results of many samples of juice from 

 many varieties of sorghum, given on page 210, will show that such es- 

 timate is far short of the possibilities. 



Mr. A. J. Russell, already quoted, reports that he has obtained 280 

 gallons of syrup from one acre of cane, and obtained from this syrup 

 7^ pounds of sugar to the gallon. Tliis is 2,100 pounds of sugar from 

 the acre, besides the seed, which he estimates at from 25 to 40 bushels 

 to the acre, and which he sold at 50 cents per bushel. He also reports 

 that 10 tons of cane is an average yield to the acre, and 14 gallons of 

 syrup to the ton, and 7^ pounds of sugar to the gallon ; and that, at 

 such yield, the sugar would not cost 2^ cents per pound ; but he says 

 that a good season and good land should give 20 tons of cane per acre, 

 17 gallons of syrup to the ton, and 9^ pounds of sugar to the gallon. 

 This is a result of 3,230 pounds of sugar per acre. 



Of the heav'er and later maturing varieties of sorghum, over 30 tons 

 per acre have been repeatedly obtained. 



Geo. W. Chapman, of Stirling, Kansas, reports having obtained 

 33-| tons of Honduras sorghum to tlie acre, so that the above state- 

 ments of Mr. Russell do not appear to be beyond the limits of possibility. 



At Rio Grande, New Jersey, Hon. James Bishop, Secretary of the 

 Bureau of Statistics of New Jersey, reports that, in 1882, the product 

 of sugar and cane upon which the state paid bounty was 5,638 tons of 

 cane and ol 9,944 pounds of sugar. Also, that 1,011 barrels of syrup 

 were produced. That the average of the juice worked during the sea- 

 son was 11°. 11 Beaumo, and the average purity of the juice was 

 84°. 16. That the first two weeks of the season more molasses than 

 sugar was produced, viz., 112 barrels of sugar and 181 barrels of mo- 

 lasses, but that, on the fnirth week, the ])roportion was 130 barrels of 

 sugar to 110 barrels of molasses. 



One plat of eight acres, by actual survey and weight, yielded 136 

 tons of cane, an average of seventeen toustotheacre. Anotherplatof oue 

 acre yielded twenty-one tons, and a third twenty-two tons to the acre. 



During the season of 1883, three acres, by actual measurement, 

 yielded 78 tons of cane, an average of 26 tons per acre. 



Sorghum Sugar in Japan. 

 Consul General Van Buren, of Yokohama, Japan, in a report to 

 the Department of State upon the agriculture of Japan, under the 

 head of sugar, says : 



The sugar ot Japan is made from that species of the sorghum plant known 

 as the Chinese sorghum. It grows luxuriantly in all the southern portions of rhe 

 empire south of the 36th degree of north latitude. The whole product of the 



