32 



THE ILLINOIS FAKMER. 



The figures for the fiscal year ending June 30, 

 1856, we have sot at hand. These would show 

 a large iacrease over 1855/ The aggregate 

 value of breadstuffj and pravisions exported for 

 the last year has been published. It ia $77,187, 

 301. This includes the produetB of beef a« well 

 as hoga. The value of the hog products for the j 

 year, however, may be estimated at 315,000,000. 



It is thus seen that the demand from abroad 

 for the product of the hog, has, with a few ex- 

 ceptions, steadily increased since 1840. Prior 

 to that year, the demand was insiffnificant. The 

 total value ot the exports from 1821 to 1840 did 

 not exceed in any year $2,000,000, and it reach- 

 ed that amount only in 1833. Its increase com- 

 menced with 1840. The value of export* in 

 1821 was $1,354,116, while in 1839 it was only 

 $1,777,330. The average for the twenty years 

 preceding 1840 was about $1 ,500,000. The. fel- 

 lowiag figures show the quantities of lard aud 

 l)acon exported at different periods from 1821 to 

 the present time: 



Bacon lbs. I^rd lbs. 



Forth* year 1821 1,607,506 3,996,561 



do' 1831 1,477,446 



do 1841 2,764,617 



do 1851 18,027,302 



do 1865 38,188,989 



6,963,516 

 10,597,654 

 19,683,082 

 39,043,049 



coBtinusd, and we find English operators busy 

 in all the Western pork markets securing mid- 

 les. It is evident tharefore, that the exports of 

 the current year will be large, and in value, if 

 not in quantity, they promise to equal those of 

 1855-56. We have not presented these facta 

 with a view to stimulate the pork market. It 

 needs no stimulant. It is alraady dangerously 

 inflated, and it is by n« meaBS certain that with 

 the foreign demand anticipated, the season will 

 prove a profitable on«; but aside from this, the 

 facts presented are important, and should be un- 

 derstood. They indicate clearly the tendency 

 of our trade, and are sufficient to stimulate the 

 productive energies of the country. 



The increase in pork was also large, but not 

 80 great, in proportion, as lard and bacon. 



The coneluaion to be drawn from these fact is 

 this: Europe is every year becoming more de- 

 pendent upon this country for provisions, and a 

 very large proportion of the hog products of the 

 United States will coatiaue to find a market in 

 the Old World, regardless of prices. Most of 

 the nations of Europe are densely populated, and 

 their lands are already cultivated to the highest 

 extreme. There is no room, therefore, for in- 

 crease in agricultural products; yet the popula- 

 tion is of course swelling, and this forces the 

 people of Europe to look to the United States 

 for food to meet their increasing wants. The de- 

 mand fluctuates as the crops prove full or short, 

 and prices rule high or low, but ia any event the 

 increase in our exports of domestic produce to 

 Europe must continue. High prices of course 

 influence the consumption at home and abroad, 

 and more in Europe than in this country; but 

 for a heavy draft upon our resources, even at 

 current rates, we may rely; and to a more rapid 

 increase in our agricultural products than has 

 recently been experienced, we must look for 

 cheaper food in the domestic markets. .Last 

 year Eoglaud and France purchased largely of 

 our brcadstufls and provisions. This was at- 

 tributed to war influences. This year, however, 

 with a peace establishment, heavy purchases are 



Chinese Sugar Cane. 



We give a valuable communication on this new 

 plant from J. 0. Obth, Esq., of Wabash county. 

 The facts in his communication are derived from 

 his own experience. 

 To the Editors 0/ the Illinois Farmer : 



Just at this time nothing can be brought be- 

 fore the farming community of more interest 

 than some reliable information about the newly 

 introduced plant, the Chinese Sugar Cane, or 

 Sugar Millet. I planted the seed of this plant 

 in 1855, and again in 1856— and am fully satis- 

 fied with the result of my experiments with it. 

 It wants no extra cultivation, and any one who 

 understands the cultivation of Indian corn knows 

 all about raising Sugar Millet, I am satisfied 

 that it should be pknted in the same manner, 

 and after planting attended like corn. 



The only difficulty I found was in knowing the 

 time when it should be cut for boiling. I made 

 several experiments, and am fully convinced that 

 it should not b6 cut until the seed has fairly 

 turned black, and has nearly or altogether dried 

 off and hardened. It may be cut sooner, but the 

 syrup will never attain a clear, and proper color; 

 it remains cloudy and murky. But if left stand- 

 ing until it is fairly ripe, the syrup will become 

 01 a beautiful clea.r color, equal to the best New 

 Orleans reboiled, with a pleasant and e-Kcellent 

 flavor. Cut too early, the flavor is musty and 

 easily betrays the fact, that it was cut before 

 ripening. It may, however, stand 10 to 14 days 

 after it is ripe, without any particular injury. 

 From trials I made I feel certain that as a fod- 

 der it cannot be surpassed by anything else we 

 can raise, either ia a green or dry state. 



Plant as early as frosts will permit, to insure 

 a well ripened crop, and if you wish to grind, 

 plant successively until the middle of May. 



