(122) 



the ground is so shaded by lateral branches and suckers the weeds 

 will effect no material injury. 



Much difference of opinion existed at first, and still exists, as 

 to the best time of cutting. Some assert when the seeds are in 

 the milky state, others when they are fully matured, is the most 

 favorable time. A slight degree of frost does not injure it, and 

 this opinion has caused the loss of many a crop, for, with our usual 

 procrastination, this belief is allowed to influence many to let it 

 stand until a severe frost comes, when the cane is rendered worth- 

 less. Whenever it, freezes, fermentation ensues, and it will not 

 make syrup at all, or, if it does, it is black and has a disagreeable 

 odor. But repeated experiments have demonstrated the fact that 

 early cut cane makes the best and cleanest molasses. Still, if the 

 farmer has a large crop, he will have an opportunity of testing it 

 in all stages, for it will take a long time to express the juice of a 

 large crop and boil it down. 



"When the seeds are in the milky state, let the stripping and boil- 

 ing begin. It is not our purpose to go into a lengthy detail of 

 syrup making, it being rather our province to treat of sorghum 

 as a cattle food than otherwise, and we will only give a general 

 description. Besides, since the invention of cane mills and evapo- 

 rators, there is hardly a man in the State who is not thoroughly 

 conversant with the process. One thing every one should bear in 

 mind, and that is, do not be too particular to press every particle 

 of juice from the stalk. The first pressure, well applied, will get, 

 generally speaking, all the saccharine principles, the second pres- 

 sure only sending out gums, cellulose and stfme coloring matters. 

 The syrup would be clearer and sweeter if the outer rind of the 

 stalk could be stripped off and only the pith submitted to pressure. 

 Let the juice be strained in a blanket, and boiled as rapidly as 

 possible in a shallow pan. This is all that is requisite. Some use 

 the continuous, some the interrupted pans. The former are becom- 

 ing more generally used, that is, pans that receive the raw juice at 

 one side and discharge the molasses at the other. Sometimes it 

 happens that the syrup when boiled to a sufficent consistency does 

 crystalize without any known cause. When it is discovered to-do 

 so, the farmer might take advantage of this accident and very easily 

 make his own sugar. And to test its capacity to form crystals, a 

 small quantity at various times of evaporating might be boiled to 



