Giums.— On Sorghum Experiments. 261 
Art. XXXIII.—Further Notes on Sorghum Experiments. 
By Mr. Justice GILLIES. 
Read before the Auckland Institute, 31st July, 1882.] 
On the 8th of non last I had the honour to present to this society some 
notes on the growth of Sorghum* in this district, meaning by this district 
the voleanic soil on which I live at Epsom, close to the base of the old 
volcanic crater of Mount Eden. In such light and poor though quick 
soil, I did not expect the Sorghum saccharatum to develope its full capacity 
of growth, nor did I in the moist climate of this Isthmus of Auckland 
expect it to develope to the full extent its saccharine properties. On that 
occasion, however, I proved that even on such soil not manured, I had pro- 
duced at the rate of 6:2 tons per acre of topped but unstripped cane of the 
Early Amber Sorghum. My experiments this year show me that this was 
equal to about 5:25 tons of topped and stripped cane ready for crushing. 
I now proceed to give my experiments of this year. First as to the 
growth of the cane. 
From circumstances over which I had no control, I was able this year 
‘to grow and cultivate properly only one quarter of an aere of the Early 
Amber from American seed. It was grown on the same soil on which I 
had raised last year's crop, but I gave it chemical manure in accordance (as 
nearly as I could obtain the ingredients here) with M. Georges Villes’ for- 
mula (on Artificial Manures, Crookes’ translation, 1879, p. 396) for Sorgho. 
I planted in the second week of November (a little too late I think), in 
drills 8 feet apart, with about 4 seeds 2 feet 6 inches apart in the drill. 
Absence from home prevented my noting the various stages of growth, but 
it was ready for cutting, i.e. the seed was ripening, in the second week of 
April. As you are aware, the season was an exceptionally wet and cold 
one, which no doubt interfered materially both with its growth and ripen- 
ing. In the second week of April I cut, topped, and stripped a ton and a 
half weighed, leaving fully as much more standing for cattle-feed. This 
gives a yield of 12 tons per acre of topped and stripped cane, or consider- 
ably more than double what I obtained from the same ground on the 
previous year. Some of my own seed of the previous year which I had 
sown broadcast showed much stronger and heavier, but I had no means of 
accurately estimating the difference. I had in spring distributed a large 
quantity of both American and New Zealand grown seed, and so far as I 
have heard the New Zealand grown seed produced the heaviest crop. 
Mr. Joseph Banks, of Meadowbank Farm, Tamaki, planted in November 
after taking up a crop of potatoes, and grew a crop of 20 tons of topped but 
* Trans. N.Z. Inst., vol. xiv., p. 373. 
