1862. 



THE ILLmOIS TARMEE. 



83 



SAMPIiKS OF 8TEXJP AND SUGAK. 



At least a hundred different samples of syrup 

 were presented, in various styles of granulation, 

 some of them with just a murky tinge, indicating 

 the presence in a slight degree of the crystal ; 

 the others being one-half, and in some instances 

 even a larger proportion, in a granulated or crys- 

 talized condition. The Chicago Refinery exhib- 

 ited a specimen of their pl^ntation syrup, and a 

 sample of unrefined sorghum grown in Loda, 

 which had been submitted to chemical analysis, 

 and found to contain 56 per cent, of sugar and 

 18 per cent, of grape sugar, the balance being 

 gluten and water. 



Of sugar the samples were numerous, satisfac~ 

 torily demonstrating the fact that sugar can be 

 produced from sorghum. The manner of arriv- 

 ing at this result was diversified. Each manufac- 

 turer arrived at the same end by pursueing a 

 slightly different pathway. The specimens 

 mostly admired were a sample of sugar from 

 Bela Luce of Plainfield, Will county, consisting 

 of crystals large and well defined, about a six- 

 teenth of an inch in diameter, which when pulver- 

 ized, equalled in favor the best loaf sugar ; a 

 sample from Keokuk, Iowa, equal to the best 

 New Orleans product presented by the Refinery ; 

 a sample from P. W. Gates of Chicago, and 

 another from Mr. Meacham of Du Page — the 

 former resembling refined New Orleans sugar, 

 and the latter bearing some likeness, both in 

 color, consistency and flavor, to common domestic 

 maple sugar. 



S0RGHTJM CIDEE AND BUM. 



A sample of cider, made bp Rev. Royal Reed 

 of Joliet, from the skimmings, was examined 

 and favorably reported upon by the tasters; also 

 an excellent sample of sorghum rum, distilled 

 from the skimmings and washings of the boilers, 

 which is a liquor 20 per cent, above proof, and it 

 is said by physicians to be valuable for its medi- 

 cinal qualities, its peculiar action being a diuretic. 



[Confiscated Correspondence.] 



Experiments and Acclimation. 



I appreciate fully the chemical difficulty of 

 making crystalized sugar from a new sugar plant, 

 or even from one well known, when transferred 

 to a new climate ; and perhaps the more so from 

 having been a student of chemistry under Dr. 

 Hare of Philadelphia in my early days. Mr. 

 Levering has done much harm by his thoughtless 

 Baying that "it is as easy to make sugar from 

 eorgbo as to make a pot of mush, and easier than 

 to make a kettle of apple butter." 



Next to knowing what we can do is the know- 

 ledge of what we cannot do, in the present state 

 of science on a given subject. And this applies 

 to the raising of crops, as well as to their after 

 manipulations for useful purposes. I was not 

 aware that more than 12 per cent, of crystalized 

 sugar has been produced from beet root syrup ; 

 which is about equal to the best results as yet 

 produced from the sorgho. The southern cane 

 produces I believe about 18 to 20 per eent. 



The question of acclimating plants I am glad 

 to seeattracts just now much attention. To ihose 

 who farm for pr fit, in our day of railroads and 

 steam, the selection is practically narrowei to 

 such plants as the farmer can profitably grow for 

 household use, and for the market in which he 

 sells, in competition with producers from other 

 climates, in a constantly widening circle of com- 

 petition. 



And after the experience of over thirty years, 

 I have very reluctantly come to the conclusion 

 that in southern Ohio we cannot cultivate either 

 potatoes, turnips or beets, cheaply enough for 

 regular feed to our stock, or in competition with 

 the crops above 42®; where the expense of 

 freight to market is the same. Where there is a 

 near market and high prices, they may be profit- 

 ably cultivated for the table, in small patches 

 with the certainty of frequent failures, but also 

 with the advantage (except potatoes) of sending 

 them fresh to market, and also the freight on 

 such heavy and cheap articles. 



This is not owing to a defect in our soil, for in 

 some exceptional seasons very large crops of all 

 those plants are produced with little care. Three 

 years ago I raised 216 measured bushels of large 

 blue potatoes from less than half an aere, besides 

 a quantity (not measured, but not less than 16 

 bushels) of small potatoes. They were planted 

 without manure, in hills 3J feet apart, and were 

 not hoed but cultivated exclusively with the 

 shovel plow, from seed raised on an adjoining 

 plot the year before, (not 18 bushels to the acre, 

 which is an average for 3 years out of 4,) with 

 the same treatment, but those seed potatoes not 

 averaging more than half the size ot a ben's egg. 

 I have also raised, and so have my neighbors, 

 sugar beets weighing (the largest) from 16 to 19 

 pounds, and very large crops to the acre, as ex- 

 ceptional crops, but for at least 3 years out of 4 

 all our care and labor were thrown away on the 

 crops, or nearly so. 



Some of these same men who have since migra- 

 ted to Iowa and Wisconsin, say that w'th the 

 same care they grow there large and regular 

 crops of potatoes, beets, turnips, etc. As neither 

 skill nor care nor a proper soil were wanting 

 here, I have been compelled to the conclusion 

 above stated that our climate in southern Ohio, 

 (about 30 ° ) does not admit of their profitable 

 cultivation by any mode as yet known as field 

 crops. 



I see that you do not accept my views as to the 

 laws which I believe govern these and most other 

 crops. I have no right to ask you to do sj, but 

 merely that you will consider the matter worthy 

 of investigation. Let me state the proposition 

 in a more practical form. 



"The plants cultivated in Ohio, in field and 

 garden as food for men and animals, cannot be 

 made by any n eans now known, to produce reg- 

 ular crops in North America east of Kansas, in 

 the central and southern portion of the climatic 

 rei'ion of their natural growth. But iu some 

 part of the northern portion of their climatic 

 belt ; sometimes quite near the northern limit, 

 these same plants can be made with care and 

 skill to produce large and comparatively regular 

 crop^s." 



