224 TRANSACTIONS OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 



At the close of Mr. Squier's remarks he distributed various kinds of corn, 

 and other cereals, to the members of the Club, after which Mr. Solon Rob- 

 inson offered the following Resolution: 



Resolved, That the Club has listened to this discourse on the agriculture 

 of Peru with an interest that is very difBcult to express. It conveys in- 

 formation of great importance to the American Farmer. For this the Amer- 

 ican Institute Farmers' Club tender their sincere thanks to the Hon. E. G. 

 Squier. 



The resolution was seconded by Mr. Carpenter and unanimously adopted. 



Adjourned. John W. Chambers, Secretary. 



January 24, 1865. 

 Mr. Martin E. Thompson in the chair. 



Sorghum and its Productions, and where it can be Grown. 



Mr. Nathan C. Ely presented a specimen of very superior syrup made by J. 

 P. Tilton, Monmouth county, N. J., the product being 200 gallons per acre, 

 of a quality that would readily command $1.50 per gallon. Mr. Tilton 

 states that a good deal of the same kind was produced last year in that 

 county, and the prospect is that the crop will be very much increased in 

 1865. 



Mr. Wm. S. Carpenter thought that if 200 gallons per acre can be relied 

 upon in this vicinity, sorgo would prove the most profitable crop that can 

 be planted. He inquired what was the expense of manufacturing. 



Mr. Solon Robinson replied that those who established mills would gladly 

 receive and grind the cane, and manufacture the syrup for one-fourth the 

 product. He, however, begged those who might be tempted to plant their 

 whole farms in sorghum, not to forget the very important fact that the 

 syrup which is now worth $1.50 per gallon, has been and may be again 

 sold in this city at one-third that sum. The refuse cane is valuable only 

 for fuel. 



Mr. R. H. Williams. — Some weeks ago there were exhibited several fine 

 specimens of sugar made froni sorghum, and if even fifty cents per gallon 

 is realized from the syrup it will pay. From my observations I consider 

 this crop very exhausting to the soil. 



Mr. Wm. S. Carpenter. — As to the question of exhausting the soil I think 

 there is some error, for we know that Indian corn has been raised several 

 years in succession. 



Mr. R. H. Williams. — To grow crops in succession it is necessary to 

 restore to the soil, the material which the crop has taken out, and that sor- 

 ghum required manuring every year, and that a single crop appeared to 

 use up all that was applied. 



Mr. Dodge said : " Then sorghum is just the kind of crop that I should 

 like to grow, for I want a crop that I can manure highly, and be sure that 

 the crop will convert all the manure into a salable product. If sorghum 

 can do that, then it is just what we should recommend all farmers to plant." 



Mr. P. T. Quinn said that he had grown sorghum near Newark, New 

 Jersey, upon a small scale for a number of years. He believes the culti- 



