(149) 



Desired. The water can then be reduced by evaporation, to 

 the desired consistency of molasses. 



In the manufacture of the Southern cane sugar, lira* 

 water, (white wash) is used to clarify it. At first this wafis 

 used in sorghum, but it was soon found that it blackened 

 the syrup so much that no after treatment would restore its 

 -clear color. Besides, it gave it a very disagreeable alkalin* 

 taste. Afterwards the white of eggs was used, which did 

 Tery well, but further manufacture brought out the discov- 

 ery that it contained so much gum it would coagulate ami 

 clarify itself better without the addition of anything with it. 

 Skimming easily removes all impuritie that arises upon thte 

 surface. 



The amount of syrup procured from an acre of ground IB 

 as various as are the methods of cultivation and characters 

 of the soil. From forty to two hundred gallons may hie 

 -considered the range, and when it is considered that a culti- 

 vator can take his choice between the two quantities, Jfc 

 .may seem that there is cause for emulation. 



But it is rather as a forage crop that this plant properly 

 belongs in this treatise. Its uses are almost as various as 

 Indian corn itself. As has been already stated, it is greedi- 

 ly eaten in all stages by stock of every kind. The seeds arse 

 abundant, and one acre of good corn will make from forty 

 to sixty bushels of seed. These can be cut from the com 

 and stored for use, taking care to spread the heads until they 

 xiry, when they make good food for cattle, horses, sheep, 

 hogs and poultry. When ground into flour they make good 

 bread. Both the seeds and the expressed juice have beett 

 extensively used in distillation, large quantities of alcohol 

 and sorghum brandy being annually made from them. Do* 

 ring the war it formed almost the only resource of the South 

 for whisky, all grains being in too much demand for dis- 

 tillers to use them. 



But probably it possesses more good qualities as a green soil- 

 ing plant than any other one. Let it be sown either broadcast 



