1C 



too, it must bo with sorghum. A careful scientific selection of the seeds of those 

 plants showing the best sugar-producing qualities, their proper planting and culti- 

 vation, a wise choice of locality and soil, a proper appreciation of the best methods 

 of culture, these are all factors which must be taken into consideration in the suc- 

 cessful solution of the problem. 



It was with this purpose in view that I made the arrangements with 

 the Sterling Sirup Company by which the Department assumed control of 

 the experiments which they had commenced in the cultivation of different 

 varieties of sorghum. At the time this arrangement was made, viz. in the 

 latter part of July, Mr. A. A. Dentou was already in charge thereof for 

 the Sterling Sirup Company, and he was appointed to continue in 

 general charge under the direction of the Department. It was arranged 

 with Mr. Denton that the general line of research should be such as is in- 

 dicated in the above statements of the purposes in view. The chemists 

 who were sent to take charge of the analytical work were instructed to 

 co-operate with Mr. Denton in such a way as to secure favorable results 

 and to make such suggestions as might seem valuable in the details of 

 the work. Mr. Denton was requested to make a general study of the 

 growth of the different varieties and of the habits of each one with refer- 

 ence to its fitness as a sugar plant. The 'most promising individuals of 

 each variety were to be selected for experimental purposes, and those 

 showing the highest content of sucrose with the lowest content of other 

 substances were to be preserved for future planting. The able manner 

 in which Mr. Dentou accomplished this work, assisted by the chemists 

 of the Department, will be found in his detailed report. I regard it of 

 the highest importance to the future success of the industry that the 

 line of work thus commenced by the Department should be continued. 



One great difficulty with which we have to contend is in the charac- 

 ter of the appropriations made for the experimental work. I have 

 called attention to this difficulty in former reports, and I wish to empha- 

 size the matter here. The fiscal year in all Government affairs begins 

 on the 1st of July. For investigations in agriculture no more unfortu- 

 nate beginning of the year c*ould be selected. On the 1st of July it is 

 too late to commence experiments for that season ; if these experiments 

 be postponed till the next season arrangements can be made for their 

 continuation only up to the 1st of the next July, and thus they have to be 

 stopped before they are well begun. The difficulty is extremely mani- 

 fest in the present instance. The wisdom and value of continuing the 

 experiments at Sterling last year will be denied by no one. Abundant 

 funds are leftover from the present year's appropriation to continue the 

 experiments for another season ; it is, however, unwise lo make any ar- 

 rangements for such work, since no part of it, except that which will be 

 let out by contract, could be continued after the 1st of July, 1889. You 

 thus find your hands tied, as it were, by the unfortunate disposition of 

 the experimental year which has to begin and end with the fiscal year 

 To avoid this difficulty, which has been one of the greatest causes of 

 the disasters which have attended our experiments with sorghum, I 



