(151) 



syrup, as this alone made it of immense value to the coun- 

 try. Still every one who made syrup observed that occa- 

 sionally it granulated so that it would not pour out of the 

 barrel. In the face of this, writers set it down that the 

 syrup was grape sugar and no treatment would make it 

 granulate. This being accepted, no further effort was at- 

 tempted to make sugar, and so the cultivation has continued 

 with that understanding until within the last few years. 



The exception was established by the experiments of a 

 few enterprising gentlemen who, reporting their success in 

 eliminating sugar from- the c-ane, were encouraged by the 

 Commissioner of Agriculture, Gen. LeDuc, to extend their 

 experiments until now it has been completely proved that it 

 not only makes sugar, but to a degree that makes it very 

 profitable. 



This department being desirous of contributing every- 

 thing in its power to add to the wealth and resources of the 

 State of Tennessee, has made accurate investigations as to 

 the process of sorghum sugar making in all its details* 

 With this view the Commissioner has lately visited all the 

 States 'engaged in the business and attended at the experi- 

 mental works at Washington where the whole process was 

 pointed out. In giving the details to the public the De- 

 partment can vouch for the reliability of the statements in 

 so far as the information of trustworthy men will permit. 

 Of course there are the differences of climate and soil to be 

 considered, but these will be in favor of the South, as we 

 have decided advantages over the States North in the soil,, 

 which gives more saccharine matter, and in the increased 

 time allowed for working the cane from the length of our 

 seasons. In this matter the Department must acknowledge 

 its obligations to Messrs. G. W. Stockwell and David C. 

 Scales for valuable assistance. Before entering upon a de- 

 scription it may be of interest to say that in a short time 

 one of the most enterprising business men of Nashville will 

 engage in the business of sugar making. He is now getting 



