PROCEEDINGS OF THE FARMERS' CLUB. 225 



vation just about as expensive as that of corn, and that it-is in no degree 

 moi-e exhaustive of the soil. He finds it an excellent crop to grow for soil- 

 ing purposes. At first, the seed was used in the poultry yard, but that 

 was discontinued because somebody said that sorghum seed would kill 

 fowls, and he had never been able to investigate the truth of the assertion. 

 Mr. F. Margan, Wawanda, Wisconsin, writes that l;e lives a little north 

 of latitude 44 degrees, and that he grew sorghum there last year which 

 ripened the first of September. A Mr. Hillman raised about seven acres, 

 which being of a late variety, did not all ripen. He made about a thou- 

 sand gallons, which sold from $1 to $1.50 per gallon. 



Sugar from Indian Cor^. 



Mr. George Bartlett said : It ivS very proper to state in this connection 

 what I have lately ascertained in relation to the patent which has been 

 talked about so much here, and upon which a company with a very large 

 capital has been organized in this city for the manufacture of sugar or 

 syrup from Indian corn. Professor Seely, of this city, who, as some of you 

 know, is a very competent judge of such matters, has lately returned from 

 Washington city, where he examined the three patents issued to the Ger- 

 man chemist of Buflalo, who it was alleged had made the great discovery 

 that cane sugar could be manufactured from Indian corn at a rate per 

 bushel that was somewhat astonishing. Professor Seely says that the 

 matter patented is simply what has been known to scientific men for many 

 years, that starch could be converted into grape sugar. His process re- 

 quires the corn to be converted into starch by the ordinary method, and 

 then into syrup of sugar. One of his patents is for a process of mixing 

 corn sugar with cane sugar. The whole secret of the new process and the 

 new organization for the manufacture of this sugar is a contrivance to 

 adulterate the sugar of commerce. 



Mr. Nathan C. Ely stated that proposals had been made to him to invest 

 money in this new project, but investigation had satisfied him that the 

 process was not a new one. Nevertheless, men in this city had invested a 

 large amount of money for the patents, and were erecting a large building 

 in which they intend to manufacture sugar and syrup from corn. It is not 

 for him to say what they will do with it. The establishment is nearly ready 

 for operation, and the proprietors are well satisfied that at the present 

 prices of sugar and corn, the manufacture will be a very profitable one. 



Merritt's Patent Tree Protector. 



Mr. A. C. Felton. — This invention is designed to prevent the ascent of 

 the female insect, which deposits the eggs that produce the canker-worm. 

 It is the invention of Henjamin Merritt, jr., of Newton, Massachusetts. It 

 consists of a peculiarly-shaped glass circle held in an iron frame, made in 

 two parts to encircle the tree, and is held in place by a cloth hood, which 

 is tied tightly around a few inches above the ring. 



It should be borne in mind that the females of all these worms are wing- 

 less, and that the males which are fully winged are provided v/ith uo iu- 



[Am. Ikst.] 



