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VAEIETIES. 



There are many varieties of cane, and while the description at 

 the head of the article will give the generic characters, it will not 

 the specific differences of the various kinds. But it is not necessary 

 to give the botanic description of each variety. 



FIRST EACE EUSORGHTJM. 

 True Chinese Sugar Cane, (already described). 



SECOND RACE IMPHEE. 



1. Proacocia, (early Sorgo). 2. Oui-se-a-na, (Otaheitan). 3. 

 White Imphee, (Nee-a-ga-na). 4. Black Imphee, (Nigerrima). 5- 

 Red Imphee, (Cerasina, cherry red) Shlagoo-va. 6. Liberia, (Li- 

 berian). 



In Tennessee the nomenclature is shortened by all being called 

 " red" or " black," and " Chinese" or " African." 



Sorghum, submitted to a pressure often tons, will yield about 60 

 per cent of juice, leaving 40 per cent of woody fibre, gum, juices, 

 etc. Of this 60 per cent about 10 per cent is sugar, both cane and 

 grape, or, if not reduced to sugar, it will make about 25 per cent of 

 syrup, or 15 per cent of the expressed juice. 



However, in fact, this amount varies very much, according to the 

 soil on which it is raised. On rich bottom land, where the cane 

 grows to be very tall and large, there is more water and less sugar 

 in the juice, while on poor, sandy, dry land the proportion is much 

 greater. In some specimens of syrup, when boiled down thick and 

 allowed to stand, crystals of sugar will form all through it. These 

 crystals are in the form of a modified rhombic prism. But in the 

 generality of specimens, from the presence of an acid, the cane 

 sugar is converted into glucose and no manipulation is sufficient to 

 cause it to crystalize. A few years ago, at one of the expositions 

 held in the city of Nashville, a jar of this sugar was on exhibition, 

 and there is a fair specimen now in the cabinet of this Bureau, and, 

 as before stated, some excellent specimens at "Washington. Should* 

 an early and cheap means be devised to secure rapid crystalization 

 the result will be to bring down the price of sugar. Molasses, 

 which sold at one dollar per gallon, was brought, by the introduc- 

 tion of sorghum syrup, down to twenty-five and thirty cents. 

 There is so little difference between this grape and cane sugar that 



