THE CHINESE SUGAR-CANE. 81 



itself well adapted to our geographical range of 

 Indian corn. It is of easy cultivation, being 

 similar to that of maize, or broom-corn ; and, if 

 the seeds are planted in May in the Middle 

 States, or still earlier at the South, two crops of 

 fodder can be grown in a season from the same 

 roots, irrespective of drouth : the first one in 

 June or July, to be cut before the panicles 

 appear, which will be green and succulent, like 

 young Indian corn ; and the other a month or 

 two later, when or before the seed is fully 

 matured. The amount of fodder which it will 

 produce to the acre, with ordinary cultivation, 

 may be safely estimated at seven tons when 

 green, or at least two tons per acre when 

 thoroughly cured. The stalks when nearly 

 mature are filled with a rich saccharine juice, 

 which may be converted into sugar, syrup, alco- 

 hol, or beer, or may be used for dyeing wool or 

 silk a permanent red or pink ; and the entire 

 plant is devoured with avidity, either in a green 

 or dry state, by horses, cattle, sheep, and swine. 

 Considered in a utilitarian point of view, this 

 plant perhaps has stronger claims on the Ameri- 

 can agriculturists than any other product that 

 has been brought to this country since the intro- 

 duction of cotton or wheat. Aside from other 



