TRANSACTIONS OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 



point, but if the plant really possessed such great value as a fibrous one, 

 why is it that it has never been utilized ? That it had ever been discovered 

 seems to have been forgotten, until the accidental finding of the report that 

 I read here. If it has a value, now is the time to re-discover it. 



Sorgo in Michigan. 



Mr. C. M. L. Andrus, Somerset, Hillsdale county, Mich., sent a sample of 

 very handsome, well-granulated sorgo sugar, made in that State, notwith- 

 standing it is pretty well up North. He says : 



" Cane ground for myself and neighbors, last fall, averaged a gallon to 

 the rod, or 160 gallons per acre, of a superior quality, preferred by most 

 people to sugar-house sirup — most of it granulated. The past season was 

 the fourth season that I have run the iron crusher, and I have averaged over 

 160 gallons per acre on all I have run ; while I have run some jobs that 

 far exceeded that. 1 run the cane from 46 rods of ground measured (not 

 guessed at), that made ninety-three gallons of the most beautiful sirup, 

 which granulated— a sample of which you will find inclosed in this note^ 

 that you may see whether sugar can be made from sorgo. I see by exam- 

 ining the report of the Hon. J, Stanton Gould to your State Agricultural 

 Society, on the subject of sorgo, that we raise in this, or this section of it 

 at least, twice as much sirup to the acre as he reports the average in 

 Ohio and Illinois. Why is it ? Because we, in many cases (contrary to his 

 opinion), cut out the suckers and smallest stalks. I may have something 

 to say on sorgo planting again, as it is often planted so shallow that it 

 di'ies up, and cannot come up until the weeds choke it and keep it moist 

 by covering the ground." 



Mr. Solon Robinson — This letter is interesting and valuable, as demon- 

 strating that sorgo is really well worthy of attention from all farmers south 

 of latitude 42, and that probably it will succeed much further north in fa- 

 vorable situations. 



Cabbage Fleas — How to Grow Cabbage Plants. 



A farmer in Ashville, Chautauqua county, N. Y., says : "I want to tell 

 my experience of ten years in the cabbage raising. I first learned of a 

 Swedish Avoman. Seeing some very nice plants, I wished to know how she 

 raised them without the lice or fleas destroying them. She said she took 

 droppings from the hen-roost, a small quantity, a little new milk, enough 

 to soak what seed she wanted to plant ; put in her seed mixed all together, 

 let it soak for a few hours — eight, ten, or twelve. She said fleas never 

 would disturb the plants. I thought as I had lost plants from fleas eating 

 them up, I would try her method of raising plants. For ten years it has 

 proved a success. I select a sunny spot near the house, in order to have 

 slops from the kitchen thrown on the bed of plants. I make the bed loose 

 and rich by putting in leached ashes, and manure from the hen-roost. When 

 the seed is soaked enough sow it on the bed, stirring it in well; then if it 

 should be a drying sun, sprinkle on water often, say three or four times 

 a-day. Sow the seed as early as the ground is fit to work, and set the 



