216 PLANT AND ORGANIC CHEMISTRY 



of sugar per capita, doubtless rival England with her 67 Ibs. 

 per capita, and her marmalade and jelly consumption. 



Sorghum saccharatum belongs, botanically, to the Gramine, 

 or grasses, a class of plants characterized chemically by their 

 large percentage of sugars, wax, and silica. The quantity 

 of silica in sorghum is small; according to Dr. Goessmann, 

 is .0015 per cent. 



The principal end for the cultivation of sorghum is for 

 sugar and molasses manufacture. Uses are still to be found 

 for many of the by-products. The profitable utilization of 

 these products would assist in lessening the cost of sugar 

 manufacture. 



The disposition of the bagasse is a question of great econo- 

 mic importance. "Three uses appear to be possible, No. i 

 for paper stock; No. 2 for manure; No. 3 for fuel." 1 



"The great object sought in France in the cultivation of 

 this plant is the juice contained in its stalks, which furnishes 

 three important products namely, sugar, which is identi- 

 cal with that of cane; alcohol; and a fermented drink analo- 

 gous to cider or champagne. The chaff or pellicles which cover 

 the seeds is used for dyeing silk various permanent shades of 

 red." 2 



The bagasse is a valuable fodder, being sweeter than ordi- 

 nary grasses and sufficiently nutritious. The leaves of the 

 plant, removed in stripping the stalks, are much relished by 

 stock. The leaves of the sorghum have a higher nutritive 

 ratio than our grain or hay, on account of the large percent- 

 ages of sugar and albumen they contain. 3 The seeds furnish 

 good food for farm animals. Proximate analyses show that 

 this seed differs but little in composition from the other cereals, 

 and closely resembles corn. It has been reported that sorghum 

 seeds contain considerable tannin, which makes them less 

 valuable as food. It is probable that the tannin is not present 

 in the seeds themselves, at least of many varieties, but in the 

 hulls which inclose these seeds. 



1 Bui. No. 14, Div. of Ghent. Dept. of Agr., p. 56. 



2 Chinese Sugar Cane and Sugar Making, by Charles F. Stansbury. N. Y., 



3 Investigation of Sorghum, by Collier. Dept. of Agr., 1883. 



