264 Transactions. — Botany. 



syrup is very good, and would doubtless be very suitable in a family where 

 there is a number of children. It is free from any unpleasant flavour, and 

 had it been properly treated for sugar-production would no doubt have 

 yielded more or less dry sugar. Mr. Meiklejohn is of opinion that there 

 would be no difficulty in growing a crop that would yield from 120 to 150 

 gallons per acre, a quantity which we think is considerably under-estimated. 

 With power of some kind to drive the crusher, he believes a crop of Sorghum 

 could be grown and harvested with less risk and trouble than a crop of oats. 

 He has found the seed to be valuable feed for fowls, and the strippings, or 

 crushed canes, good cattle-food." 



From my own experience, therefore, and the testimony thus afforded 

 me, I think I am warranted in saying that on average land, properly 

 cultivated, as for a crop of maize, a crop of Early Amber cane of 15 tons to 

 the acre, topped and stripped, may be reasonably expected. On poor soils, 

 or if not kept clean from weeds, or in unfavourable seasons, the yield may 

 be less ; on rich soil, well cultivated, and in favourable seasons, the yield 

 may be much greater. So much for the growth of the plant. I now come 

 to its economic value. 



That it is eagerly eaten by cattle and horses in all stages of its growth, 

 but more especially as it comes on towards ripening, I can speak from my 

 own experience, as well as from the testimony of others. And, as Mr. Johns 

 points out, it may be planted after turnips are fed off, — or, as Mr. Banks has 

 proved, after an early crop of potatoes has been taken, and come in as 

 green food for stock in March, when our Auckland pastures are much burnt 

 up. If the cane is kept for syrup- or sugar-making, the seed is most 

 valuable for fowls. This brings me to my experiments in syrup- and sugar- 

 making during the past season. 



And here I may say that these experiments, though not altogether 

 successful, are at least instructive, and may lead up to better success in the 

 future either by myself or others. The crushing-mill I used was a No. 

 Victor mill (the smallest size), manufactured by the Blymyer Manufactur- 

 ing Company, Cincinnati, U.S.A., price $50 or £10. ("With freight per 

 rail and mail steamer, it cost me here £16 8s. 6d.) It has worked 

 admirably, although I have not been able yet to get it to turn out what the 

 makers say it can do, namely — 40 gallons of juice per hour. The greatest 

 quantity I have obtained was 21 gallons per hour ; but this may be owing 

 to the slow pace of the horses used. The boiler used was of copper, and 

 was made in Auckland, 4-6 X 2-3 x 2-3, capacity gallons. The 



evaporator made in Auckland was of galvanized iron, 9 feet long x 3J feet 

 wide x 8 inches deep. The boiler I found well suited to the work, but the 

 evaporator was not satisfactory. They cost respectively £7 and £4 10s. 



