INDIANA CANE GROWERS. 461 



tus — that is not desirable; but in every neighborhood there should be one good 

 sorghum mill and maker. I think plants which will make from seventy-five to 

 one hundred and fifty gallons per day are best suited to neighborhood needs. Such 

 a plant can work from fifteen to forty acres in a season, according to the character 

 of the crop. It is too early yet to tell how the best sorghum can be made. That I 

 may write about early next spring, when a more active interest will be taken in 

 the matter. What I wish to emphasize in this communication is, that the energies 

 of the friends of sorghum for the present should be directed toward an improve- 

 ment of the syrup. It will be time enough to look out for sugar when the present 

 crisis has passed." 



It is generally the case with otlier industries, that the more extensive factories 

 can produce a given article at less expense than the one on a limited scale. In the 

 manufacture of syrup, with us, the small works at least have one prominent advan- 

 tage, namely, that of having the material in the immediate vicinity of the mill, 

 thus avoiding the necessity of hauling cane long distances. I do not know of a 

 neighborhood where a good palatable article of syrup has been made for some time, 

 where the demand for it is not rapidly on the increase; and yet, reasoning of 

 others from my own experience, there is not one of us but is conscious that we 

 ought to make a more uniform as well as a better article. 



Let me enumerate. First, we do not get all the saccharine juice out of the cane ; 

 second, our defecation is not as complete as it should be ; and third, we should be 

 able to reduce evaporation to a demonstration. It will not speak well for the en- 

 terprise and intelligence of the sorghum worker if he continues to throw away 30 

 &r 40 per cent., and perhaps more, of the sucrose of the cane ; neither will it do for 

 him to adopt a doubtful mode of defecation. He should know that the method he 

 adopts is practically complete, and he also should be able to demonstrate that his 

 system of evaporation is as near perfection as possible. I take this occasion to urge 

 upon this convention the consideration of these features of our work. There are 

 other considerations which I hope this convention will not neglect. Among these 

 are evaporation in deep pans, against thin films ; the use, or non-use, of chemicals 

 as bleachers; the necessity of the settling tank, or can it be dispensed with? Which 

 is the best and most economical, steam or fire pan, for evaporation? Is there a 

 loss in quantity or quality in syrup where cane is not worked for some time after 

 it is cut and ready for milling? What is the value of the by-products — the skim- 

 mings of the defecator, the fodder and seed of the cane, and the bagasse for manure 

 or fuel ? 



Other questions of equal importance, I have no doubt, will be suggested by you. 



As before remarked, where good work has been done, the demand for our prod- 

 ucts is steadily on the increase ; the people want them. The almost universal 

 verdict of physicians is that it is the most healthful sweetening now in use. With 

 this view — I might say, this demand — is it possible that this fair and fertile coun- 

 try of ours, taken with the intelligence of the people, is not capable of producing 

 eventually an article of syrup that can compete with any imported product, both in 

 quality and price? I have faith in the success of our enterprise ; though the field 

 is large and may take some time to work, yet of the ultimate triumph I have no 

 doubt. 



