21 



of fire, and tb.it portion of the factory especially exposed to such dan- 

 gers should be made as nearly as possible fire-proof. The plans and 

 specifications i'jr all the machinery should be carefully prepared under 

 the direction of a competent engineer and architect, and the machinery 

 furnished by manufacturing firms whose experience and reputation are 

 a guaranty of the excellence of their work. For a complete factory, 

 capable of working 200 tons per day, the cost may be estimated at 

 $00,000 for a minimum and $100/100 for a maximum, the difference be- 

 ing caused by the elaborateness of the work. This may seem a large 

 sum, but it is highly important that intending investors should know 

 the magnitude of the undertaking which they propose. An estimate 

 which exceeds the actual outlay by $10,000 will be far more satisfactory 

 to all parties concerned than one which falls short of it by the same 

 amount. 



Technical and chemical control. The manufacture of sugar from 

 sorghum is no mysterious process known only to one or two persons, as 

 attempts have been made to establish ; nevertheless it must be under- 

 stood that without experience in the manufacture of sugar the most 

 competent engineer may fail. It is best, therefore, that intending in- 

 vestors understand this beforehand that they may be able to secure some 

 one to take charge of the manufacture of sugar who thoroughly un- 

 derstands the needs of the business and has had some experience in the 

 conduct thereof. Perhaps there are not more than fifteen or twenty 

 such men now in the United States, but their number will be largely 

 increased within a short time. It would seem, therefore, that the num- 

 ber of factories which could be successfully operated in the next year 

 or two is limited,, and this fact should be taken into careful considera 

 tion by those intending to invest money in the business. ' An intelli- 

 gent young man of 'good education, with quick perceptions and of in- 

 dustrious habits, would be able in one year, working in a sorghum- 

 sugar factory, to obtain a knowledge which would enable him to take 

 charge of a factory, with some degree of success, on his own responsi- 

 bility. One object which the Department has had in view in its experi- 

 ments has been in having them open, not only to public inspection, but to 

 careful technical study, to such persons as chose to make the attempt. 

 It is to be regretted that at least one company, who through the cour- 

 tesy of the Commissioner of Agriculture was permitted to use a large 

 amount of machinery belonging to the Department, has so far for- 

 gotten its obligations to the public as to refuse permission for a tech- 

 nical study and report on its operations during the past year. Pub- 

 lic property is devoted to a poor purpose when used in such a manner. 



The importance of chemical control of the manufacturing work is so 

 evident that I need not dwell upon it long. The vagaries of the sorghum 

 plant are so pronounced as to require the careful supervision of the 

 chemist at all times. In localities not far removed differences in the 

 character of the sorghum are most marked, as illustrated by the data 



