24 Sorghum Hand Book. 



"Cane may be regarded as fit to work up when a majority of the seed 

 heads have become brown. There is httle doubt the crop improves in value 

 until the seeds are pretty fully matured. But the effect of freezing the uncut 

 cane is so disastrous to the crop, unless worked up immediately, that the 

 utmost vigilance should be employed to avoid this result. Better cut it 

 green (if the seed heads have shot up their full height) than allow it to freeze 

 " on the stalk. " Care and experience will enable farmers to regulate this 

 matter. " 



STRIPPING CANE. 



Cane growers differ as to the advisability of stripping cane before 

 grinding. Some claim that unstripped cane makes more juice, and of un- 

 surpassed quality; while others claim that it makes less juice, and that 

 of a vitiated quality. 



The experiments of the Agricultural Department would seem to show 

 that unstripped cane makes more juice, — that the quality of juice is not so 

 good as with stripped cane; but not sufficiently affected as to prevent 

 making good syrup and more of it ; and that for sugar, stripped cane is best. 



Our own opinion, expressed in previous editions of the Sorghum Hand 

 Book, is, that it is best to strip the cane before grinding; since the leaves for 

 fodder will more than pay for the labor involved, and whilst the quantity of 

 juice may be greater from unstripped cane, it will produce but little, if any, 

 more syrup, and the syrup will not be as clear, or as rich, or as palatable. 



The cane may be stripped standing, by means of a wooden blade, 2 or 

 3 feet in length; or it may b6 placed, two or three hills at a time, on a 

 raking board, (about the length of the cane, having one end of the board 

 on the ground and the other on a stool, say 2^ feet high,) and raking off 

 with an iron rake. One man may hold the cane by the tops, and pull 

 towards him, whilst another rakes it down; the one holding the tops can 

 then sever them at a blow, and lay the cane in a pile. Three men can strip 

 and top an acre of cane in a day. The cane should be carried to the mill 

 at once after being stripped, and so should not be stripped until wanted for 

 immediate use. 



There are various methods of cutting and stripping cane. One plan is 

 to throw the cane as it is cut with the heads upon a trestle provided for the 

 purpose. In this situation the heads are conveniently cut off, and the blad- 

 ing is conducted with less labor r than it is possible when standing. The 

 blades are thus somewhat collected and can be readily hauled off to a con- 

 venient place for drying. The seed heads may be tied into small bundles 

 in such a way as to admit thin hanging astride a fence, where they will cure 

 without further trouble. The tops should be laid in. piles convenient for 

 gathering, to dry, and may be left until the grinding is over. 



