546 THE HOME, FARM AND BUSINESS CYCLOPAEDIA. 



SORGHUM SUGAR CANE. Like Indian corn, the sorghum is, in its 

 roots, deep and wide spreading, and like that, requires a thoroughly 

 drained, warm, free, and good soil to promote its sweet flavour wet and 

 cold soils contributing but slightly, or in a much less degree, to its devel- 

 opment. It should be planted, too, at about the same season as corn, and 

 receive frequent and clean cultivation. Heavy, unctuous barn-yard ma- 

 nure should not be applied to the crop, giving it too rank a growth. 

 Well rotted, or compost manures are better, or it may be grown on soils 

 succeeding a crop to which such manures have been previously and lately 

 applied. Lime, ashes, salt, guano, and the phosphates generally, are ex- 

 cellent manures, giving a medium growth to the stalk, and promoting the 

 development of the sacharine juice in a higher degree than the more 

 stimulating humus of the heavier fertilizers. It is, in fact, a cultivation 

 by itself, but no more intricate, or difficult, than that of Indian corn, the 

 proper land being once selected ; and as a general rule, good corn land will 

 produce good sorghum. 



Harvesting should be done before the first sharp autumnal frosts. The 

 sorgho ripens unequally, or unevenly rather, some stalks being fit to cut a 

 few days before others ; but as it should not be left to fully ripen before 

 cutting, this inequality in maturity, when favourably grown, is of no par- 

 ticular injury. It should be cut near the ground; the two top joints cut 

 off and thrown aside, being too weak and crude in their sap to add to the 

 quality of the cane below. 



As soon after cutting as possible, it should be removed to the crushing, 

 or grinding mill, and put under cover from storms, or the drying heat of 

 the sun,and its juices be not tainted by mould, or too much dried' by con- 

 densation, to be easily expressed. As soon after cutting as possible, the 

 canes should go into the mill for crushing. 



The grinding, evaporation, and its manufacture into syrup is a process 

 by itself, distinct from its cultivation. 



FLAX. Flax requires rich fertile land in good tilth, and in clean con- 

 dition. It is generally taken after a grain crop. The stubble should be 

 well cleaned and manured before winter, and grubbed, harrowed and 

 rolled in the following spring, and from six to eight pecks of seed are sown 

 in the end of April, either in rows eight to ten inches apart, or broadcast ; 

 and covered in by light seed harrows. It is of the utmost importance 

 that good clean seed be used. The crop is hand-weeded in May. It gets 

 into bloom in June, and may be pulled any time thereafter. If the finest 

 fibre is desired, it should be pulled before the bolls or seed vessels ripen. 

 But these are generally allowed to get brown and ripe before the crop is 



