48 THE CHINESE SUaAR-CANE. 



and with the second crop of seed just making its 

 appearance above the 'boot/ Fully satisfied 

 by this time that it was valuable, at least for the 

 production of soiling, forage, and dried fodder, 

 we next turned our attention to its saccharine 

 properties, and fortunately induced our friend, 

 Dr. Robert Battey, of Eome, Georgia, who was 

 at that time pursuing the study of experimental 

 chemistry, in the well-known laboratory of Prof. 

 Booth, of Philadelphia, to test it. As the result 

 of his experiment. Dr. Battey sent us three 

 small phials, one containing a fine syrup, one a 

 sample of crude brown sugar, and the other a 

 very good sample of crystallized sugar. This we 

 believe to be the first crystallized sugar made in 

 the United States from the juice of the sorgho- 

 Sucre ; and as Dr. Battey' s opinion of its value 

 as a plant fully agreed with the reports of the 

 French savans who had investigated its proper- 

 ties, and with our own convictions, we this year 

 disseminated it more widely, and planted nearly 

 two acres, for the express purpose of raising the 

 seed, and testing the ability of the plant to bear 

 repeated cuttings, like Egyptian*and other varie- 

 ties of millet. It was planted very late, on poor 

 soil, and has received but imperfect culture ; and 

 yet, at the present time (August 25) a portion 



