PROCEEDINGS OF THE FARMERS* CLUB. 369 



from Ml". G. L. Andrews on sorgo raising. Among other things, he refers 

 to its slowness of germinating. This with us, until the past season, has 

 been the great drawback in cane raising, as it would not appear above 

 ground until from two to four weeks from the time of planting; then the 

 plants would be so spindling, and the soil so packed and covered with 

 weeds, that it required considerable nursing to ripen it at all before frosts. 

 Last season, however, our cane came up quickly, the blades in some in- 

 stances appearing above the surface in four days' time, while in other 

 cases, where the seed was planted without sprouting, they were three 

 weeks in coming up. Our method of planting last season was simply as 

 follows: A week or so before planting place the seed in boiling water; 

 allow it to stand from three to five minutes; pour off the water and place 

 the seed in a woolen bag; keep it damp and near a stove until the sprouts 

 are from one to one and a half inches in length. This will occur in from 

 seven to fourteen days. The sprouts will cause no trouble in planting, as 

 they are of a tough texture, not easily broken. In this way we fully 

 ripened three-quarters of an acre of cane, the seeds being as ripe and fine 

 as any you ever saw. There was about six acres planted in this neighbor- 

 hood. All will plant again this season. In fact, I have talked with 

 scarcely a farmer but what intends to plant enough for his own use. The 

 variety planted was the Imphee. Highest yield, 180 gallons to the acre; 

 average 160." 



Mr. Wm, S. Carpenter stated that the value of sorgo sirup, sent to this 

 city, was materially affected by the fact that much of it appears to have 

 an acid taste. If the manufacturers desire to obtain for it a good name, 

 none but the best refined should be sent to market At present it does not 

 stand as fair as New Orleans molasses. 



Are Parsnips Ever Poisonous ? 



Mr. Thos. B. Haslam, Rochester, Olmstead county, Minnesota, inquires 

 whether the parsnip becomes "poisonous in its recond year's growth. 

 One family with whom I am acquainted suffered severely, and had to call 

 in medical aid, from eating some roots from a parsnip bed, which they 

 found on the farm they had just purchased. I have been told of instances 

 wherein it was said to have produced fatal results. Do the roots become 

 poisonous by age ? and at what age ? Do they degenerate by hybridiza- 

 tion with some other plant of the same genus ? Does this liability occur 

 in all climates ?" 



Mr. Solon Robinson. — Such has been the reputation of parsnips with all 

 the members present, that where they " run wild," or grow uncultivated, 

 the tops and roots are both poisonous. They do not hybridize, but they 

 do degenerate in all climates. Several pers(ms asserted that the roots 

 always die afterseeding. Others doubted. Who knows this ? 



Mr. Minot Pratt, Concord, Mass., says: 



" Some experience as a seed grower enables me to say that in the second 

 year's growth the leaves and stem contain an acid juice that is poisonous 

 to the skin. In picking off worms from the flowers, and in gathering the 



[Am. Inst.J Y 



