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daily using in my family, I am so well sat- 

 isfied with my past year's experience, that 

 another year I shall plant several acres, and 

 with a good machine that will press all the 

 juice, I have no doubt but I can produce 

 eight to ten barrels to the acre, at a cost not 

 exceeding twenty-five cents the gallon. I 

 see no reason why, in a few years, every 

 farmer who can raise Indian corn should not 

 raise his own molasses, as the same climate 

 is favorable to both, and I have little doubt 

 but it vrill be the ccse. I have omitted 

 mentioning that when cut down for fodder, 

 at about four feet high, it sprouts again and 

 produces a good second crop. 



J. D. HEWLETT. 



KiNGsviLLEi Ohio, Jan. 1, 1857. 

 To^ Editor of the Am. AgricuUurist: 



Last spring we received a paper of tne 

 Chinese Sugar Cane Seed from the Patent 

 Office, by Hon, J. R. Giddings, which we 

 planted in four rows, four stalks in a hill, 

 eleven hills in a row. We cut it up about 

 the 17th of October, stripped the leaves 

 from the stalks, crushed it, and cut it into 

 short pieces, and boiled it in water. The 

 liquid was then strained through a coarse 

 cloth, boiled down to molasses, and to our 

 great surprise we found that we had made 

 , two gallons of quite palateable molasses. I 

 do not think we expressed all the juice that 

 we might if we had been more experienced 

 in making it. We think of raising a larger 

 quantity another year. The cattle of Mr. 

 I. H, must have had quite unusual tastes if 

 they would not eat this nutritious food, for 

 our's ate it both before and after it was boiled 

 — in fact, they would leave good pasture, and 

 eat it up before leaving it. 



So far the matter is settled. Our farmers 

 can make their own molasses. This is a 

 fixed fact. In regard to the sugar, an- 

 other year's experience, will render that also 

 a fixed fact. On this latter subject we here 

 give a communication from the Chicago 

 Democratic Press: 



Portage City, Wis., Feb. 16, 1857, 

 To the Editors of the Dem. Frees: 



Feeling a lively interest in the success of 

 the Chinese sugar cane, I willingly give my 

 suggestion (opinion I could scarcely call it,) 

 t» be experimented on by those having 

 syrup on hand. Ube a table-spoonful of bi- 

 sulphate of lime to each gallon of Rvrap, 

 stirring them well together before boiling 

 the syrup. Bisulphite of lime has been 

 much used of late years in Louisiana, has 

 s cveral virtues, but is generally most effici- 



ent when used with frosted cane, as it cor- 

 rects the acidity of that kind of cane, and 

 allows a greater quantity of syrup to granu- 

 late that would otherwise be sent to market 

 as molasses If my reading and conversa- 

 tion with southern chemists be rightly re- 

 membered, this salt, being solvent, becomes 

 a nucleus for a grain; converting syrup into 

 a solid, and, as above stated, corrects all 

 acidity. 



Let not those who fail to granulate their 

 syrup now be at all discouraged, as that pro- 

 cess should be done at the time of grinding, 

 as juice, after expression, soon becomes fer- 

 mented; and to prevent this is the secret of 

 sugar making. Should it ferment much, 

 then molasses alone is hoped for. 



Should this suggestion of trying bi-sulphite 

 of lime meet the eye of a chemist, it would 

 be well for him to make a few gallons for the 

 use of those who wish to experiment. This 

 is known as "Melsen's process," fully detail- 

 ed, I think, in Dr. Tire's work on the Arts 

 and Manufactures. I would further suggest 

 that a communication be addressed to Prof. 

 Riddle, sen., of the Louisiana University, 

 New Orleans, who has much experience in 

 analyzing the bi-sulphite of lime miade by 

 the various makers in Louisiana. It sells 

 for $7 a barrel. 



Unlike many, it is not to bring Louisiana 

 sugar into disuse that I feel an interest in 

 the Chinese cane. I am satisfied that if it 

 will granulate, that Louisiana will be the 

 point where it will flourish in perfection, if 

 corn growth be taken as an index. It 

 would become the interest of the planter to 

 use it instead of that now in use. Having 

 the expensive sugar works already built, it 

 could be made cheaper; and, not to be lost 

 sight of, less negro labor would be required ; 

 white folks could grind and granulate in 

 their houses. And if ever slavery is to be 

 discontinued amongst us, it will be when 

 white labor is substituted and becomes more 

 economical than dark. The result of the 

 question, "Can Chinese cane juice granu- 

 late?" is fraught with much interest, and 

 worthy the thought of all who can throw 

 light upon it. 



Every farmer who can, should provide 

 himself with a small quantity of seed for 

 planting the coming spring 



ig- 



-<•»- 



B@„During the period included between the 

 year« 1847 and 1856, 1,779 persons sentenced 

 i to State prison have been pardoned by the Gov- 

 I ernor, 409 of whom have been restored to citi- 

 zenship. 



