610 [ASSEMBLT 



eoholj the uncry stall izable sugar can be turned to account, whicb 

 in a raeasure, would otherwise be lost. Another advantage con- 

 sists in the pureness of the juicC; which, when thus converted, 

 from the superiority of its quality, can immediately be brought 

 into consumption and use. The alcohol produced by only one 

 distillation is nearly destitute of foreign flavor, having an agreea- 

 ble taste, somewhat resembliug noyau, being much less ardent, or 

 fiery, than rum. 



One of the points M. Vilmorin was desirous of establishing 

 was, at what perioS of the growth the stalks began to contain 

 sugar, and consequently, when its manufacture should commence. 

 He came to the conclusion that it coincided with the putting forth 

 of the spikes ; but the proportion of sugar in the stalk continued 

 to increase until the seeds were in a milky state. In the plant Id 

 flower, he observed that the amount of sugar diminished in the 

 merithalles (parts of the stalks between the nodes, or joints,) the 

 nearer they were to the top; and also, that the lower part of each 

 merithalle contained less saccharine ma ti r than the upper. In 

 consequence of this, and owing to the smallness and hardness of 

 the lower knots, the centre of the stalk is the richest portion. He 

 was inclined to the opinion that, at a later period, the merithalles 

 lower down the stalk are impoverished in the amount, if not in 

 the quality, of the sugar they contain. 



The ripeness of the seeds does not appear much to lessen the 

 production of sugar, al least ia the climate near Paris, but in 

 other countries where it matures when the weather is still warm, 

 the effect may be different. According to the report of M. de 

 Beauregard, addressed to the " Ccm ce de Toulon," the ripening 

 of the sorgho in that latitude had no unfavorable effect, and he 

 considers the seeds and the sugar as two products to be conjointly 

 obtained. On the other hand, Mr. Wray says that the Zoulous 

 Gaffers are in the habit o'' pulling off the panicles of the plant the 

 moment they appear, in order to augment the quantity of saccha- 

 rine matter in the stalks. This question may be of some import- 

 ance in our southern States, thould this plant supercede in any 

 manner the sugar cane. 



