444 SORGHUM. 



10.41 per cent was sucrose, or 86 per cent of tlie total sugars. The sor- 

 ghum juices of this specific gravity averaged 12.28 per cent of total 

 suo-ars, of which only 9.5G was sucrose, or 77.9 per cent of the total 

 sugars. The per cent of total solids was in each the same, 15.17; but 

 in the maize juices 68.6 per cent, and iu the sorghum juices 63 per 

 cent, of the total solids was sucrose. The average available sugar was, 

 in the maize juices, 5.65 per cent, and in the sorghum juices 3.95 per 

 cent of the juice. 



It is, however, to be remembered, that at present sorghum is far 

 more valuable for purposes of sugarjor syrup production, owing to the 

 following reasons: 



1. Sorghum is far more constant in its composition, as well as uni- 

 form, while maize appears to vary greatly, even specimens of the 

 same variety taken at the same time from the same field. 



2. Sorghum reaches ultimately a much higher content of sugar 

 than maize, as in 1880 there were 778 analyses made of juices having 

 a specific gravity between 1070 and 1090, and averaging 14.26 per 

 cent of sucrose, of which 8.66 percent was available; and in 1881 

 there were 485 analyses of juices of specific gravity between 1070 and 

 1095, averaging 15.85 per cent of sucrose, of which 10.68 per cent 

 Avas available. At present no such maize juices have been obtained, 

 except at rare intervals. 



3. Owing to the habit of the plant in bearing its seed, and the con- 

 ditions necessary for its complete development, a greater weight of 

 crop can be grown to the acre of sorghum than of maize. 



But sugar of excellent quality, and in paying quantity, has been 

 repeatedly secured from the stalks of maize after the seed had 

 thoroughly ripened ; and it is by no means beyond reasonable expec- 

 tation that certain varieties of maize may be found or developed by 

 careful selection, Avhich shall rival the sorghum in its sugar content, 

 and prove to be as constant and uniform as are the best of the sor- 

 ghums. That we have in maize a plant possessing a marvelous degree 

 of adaptability to the varying conditions of soils, climate, and culti- 

 vation, is known to all. In this respect it certainly equals, if it does 

 not surpass, the sorghum, which has through centuries of cultivation 

 produced varieties so widely different as to have perplexed the botanist. 

 But we have large groups of the sorghum family poorer in sugar than 

 any of the varieties of maize thus far examined, and there is I'eason to 

 hope that when investigations shall have taken tlie place of ridicule 

 and dogmatic assertion, a plant so plastic in the hands of the culti- 

 vator as maize has shown itself, may be developed into varieties equal 

 to any at the present known as producers of grain, and at the same 



