REPORT OF THE CITEMIST. 



27 



The result of the experiment was in every way encouraging, and 

 served in a manner to diminish the disappointment which attended the 

 work in other directions. 



A yield of over 60 pounds of sugar to the ton when only 50 per cent, 

 of the weight of cane was obtained in the expressed juice is an indica- 

 tion of what may be obtained in the future with better milling or a 

 more thorough extraction of the sugar by other methods. 



From Illinois it was learned that a severe frost so injured the cane 

 on September 8 and 9 that the results obtained were far from satisfac- 

 tory. One hundred and sixty thousand pounds of sugar were, however, 

 made from 4,660 tons of cane, and 35,000 gallons of molasses. 



In Italy, Amber cane was grown and examined under Government 

 auspices during 1882. 



From the laboratory examination these conclusions were drawn: 



1. The culture of Amber sugar-cane may very probably give in our 

 country a rich yield of crystallizable sugar, as it does in that American 

 State (Minnesota) from which the plant was originally brought. 



2. By prolonging the time which intervenes between the harvest of 

 the sorghum cane and its analysis the juice obtainable therefrom and 

 its percentage in sucrose diminishes, while there is not always an in- 

 crease of glucose. Perhaps by putting the cane under the ground 

 and moistening it before this is done the losses may be considerably 

 reduced. 



3. The upper internodes and the peripheric strata of the cane seem 

 to yield a greater abundance of saccharose than the lower internodes 

 and the central strata, so that it would seem advisable not to sow thick, 

 and to cultivate sorghum, just like beets, in such a way as to obtain the 

 product of an average and suitable size. 



From the field experiments they agree that— 



1. The cultivation of sorghum, even in lands of moderate richness, 

 succeeds very well in the same conditions as that of common maize, and 

 when the chemico-industrial question is settled there will be nothing 

 to fear in this direction. 



2. The seed of acclimated sorghum gives a larger yield and a more 

 vigorous plant than the original seed. 



3. For the quantity of the yield sowing in line is preferable to sow- 

 ing in tufts. 



4. The yield of the stalks of the sorghum increases in quantity from 

 the blossoming to the fecundation and the maturation of the seed ; 

 then it diminishes somewhat, and increases again after the autumnal 

 rains. 



5. In grounds tending to form a crust, the depth of planting must 

 not be greater for sorghum than two centimeters, the depth of three 

 centimeters having been found excessive even in the present case. 

 Besides, as to the sowing, it is to be observed that it should not take 

 place too early; it should be delayed until a stated season in the 

 spring, from the first to the last of May. To sow earlier, with the un- 

 expected return of cold, sorghum suffers, and in any event is injured 

 considerably. 



6. The enemies by which sorghum has been heretofore attacked are 

 insects (which are easily destroyed by insect-powder made from tobacco) 

 and birds. It is further to be observed, first, that whilst the leaf of the 

 beet is often found injurious to animals fed upon it, causing among other 

 things diarrhea, the sorghum leaf, on the contrary, makes good fodder; 

 second, that the cultivation of the sorghum is more rapid and leaves 

 the ground free sooner. 



