67 



Analyses wore also made of caues from the Eio Grande plantation, 

 New Jersey. These canes were prepared for shipment in the manner 

 just described. 



Analyses of juice from eight volunteer canes, ripe and in first-class 

 condition : 



Percent. 



Sucrose 10. 68 



Glucose 3.25 



Not sugar 2. 48 



Total solids 15.36 



Analyses of six canes from field fertilized with salt muck : 



Per cent. 



Sucrose 12.78 



Glucose 1.77 



Not sugar 3.23 



Total solids 17.78 



Analyses of twenty-five canes taken from carrier representing fairly 

 well the canes ground on September 22, 1883 : 



Per cent. 



Sucrose 9. 32 



Glucose 4.99 



Notsugar 0.96 



Total solids 15.27 



In 1884 some small plats of sorghum were grown on the Department 

 grounds. These varieties were Early Amber, Early Orange, Link's 

 Hybrid, and Honduras. These plats had a dressing of well decomposed 

 stable manure and an application of superphosphate equal to 400 

 pounds per acre. 



Following is a description of the method of preparing the canes for 

 analysis : l 



The seed-heads, as they appeared, wore cut off of a large number of canes at inter- 

 vals along the row. A like number of canes was left to mature in the usual way. 

 To protect the forming seeds of those against the depredations of the English spar- 

 rows they were covered with a cap of tarlatan ; but in spite of this precaution the 

 seeds did not mature. The hungry birds would hang upon the netting and gradually 

 pick them off. To this extent the object of the trial was defeated ; but the results 

 show that the removal of the seed, either before or after flowering, does apparently 

 increase the percentage of sucrose in the juice. This is shown from the fact that the 

 percentage of sucrose in canes deprived by the birds of their seed is much greater in 

 the juices analyzed in 1884 than in those of 1883, when the seed matured. On the 

 other hand, it does not appear that the removal of the panicle immediately on its 

 appearance tends to give a materially greater percentage of sucrose than is obtained 

 by allowing the birds to remove the seeds after they have begun to form. 



In Table 1 are given the results of the analyses of canes whose panicles were cut 

 as soon as they could bo seen. These canes were stripped and pressed in a small 

 mill. The percentage of juice expressed was noted. The bagasse was now passed 

 a second time through the mill, and the percentage of second juice calculated on the 

 first weight of the cane. 



1 Bulletin No. 5, Division of Chemistry, Department of Agriculture, pp. 139, 140. 



