Gillies. — On Sorghum Experiments. 515 



concentrated syrup weighs 14|- lbs. to the gallon, it would, if sold at the 

 absurdly low price of Id. per lb. (in America it sells for 7 cents, per lb. — 

 or 3|d.), produce a gross return of £14 10s. per acre, a sum sufficient to 

 yield a fair profit per acre ; as I calculate that with a two-horse mill crush- 

 ing 80 gallons of juice, or 1 ton of cane per hour, the total expense of 

 crushing and evaporating should not cost, (within reasonable distance of 

 coal,) over 10s. per ton, or £6 per acre. This is, of course, only calculation, 

 as the actual cost in my experiments, employing special labour, came to 

 about £1 per ton, or £16 per acre. But even this would leave a good profit 

 with syrup at 2d. per lb. On a farm no labour would be required other 

 than the ordinary labour of the farm, and the leaves and seed would be an 

 important and valuable item in the feeding of stock and poultry. 



I have now finished my experiments, as my increasing public duties will 

 prevent my further prosecuting them. It remains for some intelligent 

 farmer to take up the matter, and test the results I have obtained. To 

 such an one I shall be happy to hand over my crushing-mill, boiler, and 

 other apparatus, as well as afford him every advice and assistance in my 

 power. I feel thoroughly convinced that, at no distant date, the growth of 

 Sorghum will be found to be one of the most paying crops that the northern 

 farmer can produce. 



Supplementary Paper on Sorghum. By Mr. Justice Gillies. 

 [Bead before the Auckland Institute, lltli September, 1883.] 

 Since reading my paper on Sorghum at last meeting I have received from 

 Dr. Hector the results of the Colonial Laboratory analysis of a one gallon 

 jar of syrup sent him some four months after it was made. These results 

 and the data they afford as to the commercial value of growing Sorghum 

 for sugar production are of the utmost value. The following is the 

 report : — 



Syrup for proportion of cane and grape sugar — lbs. oz. 



Weight of syrup separated from crystallized sugar . . . . 12 3 

 Weight of crystallized sugar therein . . . . . . . . 12£ 



Total .. .. 12 15J 



At a temperature of 60°, specific gravity 1*406 water at 1*000, the syrup contained 

 71' 60 per cent, of cane sugar. The syrup and sugar gave 7'15 per cent, of 

 grape sugar. 



lbs. oz. 

 71'6 per cent, upon 121bs. 3oz. of syrup gives of sugar .. .. 8 11£ 

 Sugar crystallized spontaneously . . . . . . . . . . 12£ 



Total cane sugar . . . . . . . . 9 8 



