226 MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURE. 



at Washington, eillier in the seed itself or in the stalk ; nor 

 can I see any difrerencc in the crop between tlie two kinds. 



I need not say how feeble and unpromising was the appear- 

 ance of the cane stalks from the first until late in July, for that 

 complaint, I believe, was universal. We ploughed and hoed, 

 however, just as for corn. Early in August, the cane began to 

 grow. Hot weather, evidently, was what it required, and till 

 that came, no mode of culture could have availed any thing. 

 I seriously doubt whether any early hot-house starting, of which 

 so much is said, would have done any thing, unless continued 

 till the late July or August heat should set in. This, indeed, 

 I have found true in relation to hot-house tomato plants. When 

 set in open air gardens, they appear to wait for the season, 

 living, it is true, but hardly holding their own, till nature's 

 time shall come round. 



My first grinding of the cane was the 8th of September. The 

 seed had then formed, but was soft. Having had no informa- 

 tion with regard to the process of manufacturing the sirup, the 

 cane was ground without taking off either the leaves or tops. 

 The quantity of juice was nearly the same as afterwards, but 

 was rather more watery, and required longer boiling. It was 

 reduced twelve to one, but it would have been better, I think, 

 if it had been reduced ten to one, only. When so thick, it is 

 likely to burn. No soda or lime was added, and it was conse- 

 quently slightly sour. The acidity was not removed by an 

 alkali when it was afterwards heated, a fact showing the import- 

 ance of adding the soda at the time of boiling. The 300 canes 

 produced about seven and one-half gallons of sirup, which was 

 boiled down to five pints of sirup, about as thick as the heaviest 

 molasses. The boiling took ten hours. I afterwards discov- 

 ered that a simmering heat requiring much less fire, evaporates 

 the watery part quite as fast as hard boiling. I had the disad- 

 vantage, also, of a close boiler — in the house, too. Could a 

 shallow boiler have been used, set in the air, and a current of 

 wind be allowed to pass over it during the boiling, it would 

 have gone, I think, much more rapidly. Skimming constantly 

 is indispensable, as the scum, if not often taken off, appears to 

 descend and mix again with the liquor. It is this which gives 

 the green, corn-stalk kind of taste, so unjjleasant to many 

 people. It can be removed only mechanically, I think, as by 

 filtering through very fine sand. 



