77 



TABLE V. Varieties distinguished for valuable characters in course of three years' experi- 

 ment in order of merit, two sets being made of canes grown three and two years, respec- 

 tively. 



THREE YEAKS' CULTURE ON CALUMET. 



TWO TEARS' CULTURE ON CALUMET. 



From the two foregoing tables six varieties have been chosen as those 

 which are judged fittest for continued trial: Column Cane, Collier's, 

 Planter's Friend, Link's Hybrid, Early Orange, Ubehlana. 



SIZE OF SORGHUM STARCH GRANULES. 



In a former report some space was devoted to the discussion of the 

 influence of the contained starch upon the treatment of sorghum juices 

 in the sugar manufactory, and a doubt was there expressed as to the 

 practicability of mechanical filtration as a means for its removal from 

 raw, unheated juices. Since then some data has been secured as to 

 the size of the granules existing in the juice, and their excessive minute- 

 ness is confirmatory, in some measure, of the conclusion formerly 

 reached. Samples of the starch obtained by settling and repeated 

 washing and decantation from both the juice and the bruised seed were 

 collected and submitted to Dr. W. H. Sylvester, of Natick, Mass., who 

 had kindly offered to make a microscopic examination of them ; and the 

 following results were reached, measurements of. starch granules from 

 other sources being made at the same time for comparison's sake: 



Inch diameter. 

 Sorghum seed (average of many grains) 



Tout le mois 



Potato 



Maize 



"ZOOO 



JL 



to 



T to 



Respecting the starch from sorghum juice he says : 



This latter is the smallest starch grain I ever saw. With 500 diameters the grains 

 are but mere specks. * * * Blood corpuscles will average but ^(nj-inch. It 

 would seem as though the grains must be immature or in an undeveloped condition, 

 as they do not show any evidence of marking. * * * It seems that it is more the 

 starch of green vegetation than of ripe. The canes from which this starch was pro- 

 cured, nevertheless, were such a3 by outward signs, as well as chemical analysis, 

 would be considered fully ripe enough for manufacturing purposes. 



Respectfully submitted. 



F. E. COOMBS, 



Chemist. 



