490 SORGHUM. 



of the weight of the stripped stalks ; this percentage does not vary 

 greatly throughout the season. 



2ud. The amount of crystallizable sugar (sucrose) in the juice, is at 

 first little over 1 per cent, but it regularly increases with the increase 

 of specific gravity. No one relationship is more evident than this close 

 correspondence between the increase of specific gravity and percentage 

 of sucrose in the juice; the average increase of sucrose for an increase 

 of .001 in specific gravity (between 1.030 and 1.086), is 0.233 per 

 cent. The following shows the average increase of cane sugar corres- 

 ponding with an increase of .001 in specific gravitij of the juice: 



Between 1 0?>0 — 1.030= 164 per cent sucrose. 

 Between 1 040 — 1 0-19 = 167 per cent sucrose. 

 Between 1 .050 — 1 059 = .229 per cent sucrose. 

 Between 1 060 — 1.069 = .250 per cent sucrose. 

 Between 1 070 — 1 .079 = .142 per cent sucrose. 

 Between 1.080 — 1 .086 = 164 per cent sucrose. 



8rd. It is a noticeable fact that the " solids not sugar" increase regu- 

 larly, and with almost the same rapidity that the' glucose diminishes. 

 Thus, for the specific gravities between 1.030 and 1.086, the average 

 percentage of glucose is 2.84, and of solids not sugar 2.71, while the 

 actual loss of glucose is 2.76 percent, and the actual gain of solids not- 

 sugar is 2.77 per cent. From the small number of ash determina- 

 tions (34), it appears that the average percentage of ash in sorghum 

 juice amounts to 1.07 per cent; hence it appears that a loss of 2.76 

 per cent of glucose is apparently counterbalanced by a gain of 1.70 per 

 cent of organic solids not sugar, the ash varying but slightly. These 

 figures are subject to future revision, when a much larger number of 

 ash determinations may render it possible to draw conclusions with 

 greater safety. 



One point, however, seems to be strongly suggested, namely, that 

 the decrease in glucose bears a much closer relationship to the increase 

 of organic solids not sugar, than to the increase of crystallizable sugar. 

 In other words, it seems at least possible that the commonly accepted 

 idea that cane sugar is formed in plants only through the intervention 

 of glucose, may be a mistaken idea. This point is a very interesting 

 one, and worthy of careful study in the future. 



4th. The percentage of total solids regularly increases, with a few 

 exceptions, with the increase of specific gravity ; the average increase 

 for each gain of .001 in specific gravity, is 0.17 percent of total solids. 



5th. Experience has showu that the percentage of crystallizable 

 sugar in the total solids of the juice should exceed 70, in order that 

 good results may be had. See Table of Averages for 1880. 



An inspection of these tables indicates that these juices attained that 



