46 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[February, 
Sorghum Culture. 
o 
The importance which is attached to Sor- 
ghum, especially at the "West, is shown by the 
holding of two Conventions of those engaged in 
cultivating the plant, and manufacturing its pro- 
ducts. The one held at Rockford, 111., Dec. 3, 
was attended by over 150 practical men, whose 
experience on various points, as elicited in the 
discussions, will doubtless be of value to the 
country at large. The subjects proposed for 
discussion were : 1st. Best seed and its prepa- 
ration ; 2nd. Best soil and its preparation ; 3d. 
Mode of cultivation; 4th. Machinery for work- 
ing up the cane and preparing its juice. The 
discussion upon the first topic shows that great 
difficulty is experienced in procuring good seed, 
and that this is liable to deteriorate. The fol- 
lowing is the report of the committee on seed, 
which was adopted by the convention. 
REPORT OF THE CO>IMITTEE ON SEED. 
Your committee, to which was referred the sub- 
ject of seed, beg leave to report, that iu conse- 
quence of the great diversity of opinions and 
experience of different producers, they find it dif- 
ficult to designate any one variety of cane to he 
preferred to all others. It appears from accounts 
given by various members of the convention, that 
any oue of the canes grown in the country, when 
raised from the pure seed, with proper culture and 
care, produces good results. In the selection of 
seed, therefore, special regard should he had to the 
question of its purity or freedom from amalgama- 
tion with other plants which tend to Its deteriora- 
tion. The production from the yellow Imphee, or 
African cane, has more frequently resulted in crys- 
tallization, than any other. This variety is also 
desirable on account of its habit of early maturing. 
Of the different kinds of Chinese cane known in 
this country, the committee infer from all the in- 
formation before them, that neither the smallest, 
earliest varieties, nor yet the largest and later sorts, 
but a medium between these two extremes — the 
committee know not by what name to designate it 
— is most desirable for cultivation. Asa means of 
success in the business, the committee urge careful 
observation on the part of all growers, and recom- 
mend the selection of such crops as the experience 
of producers has proved most profitable, always 
guarding with the most scrupulous care against 
every appearance of mixture with all and any of 
the plants, with which the cane will hybridize. 
The committee would also recommend the im- 
portation of seed from time to time, from localities 
where the climate is more congenial to the perfec- 
tion of the cane, peradveuture the deterioration in 
its quality, sometimes noticeable, may thereby be 
obviated. All of which is respectfully submitted. 
C. A. HtTNTrNGTON, I ,, ,;,,„„ 
E.H.Seward, '[Committee. 
Mr. Murtfeldt offered the following resolution: 
Seeing there are so many names given to the 
different Kinds of cane, according to color of seed, 
or any other peculiarity, in order to secure a more 
uniform designation, I offer *the following: 
Sesolued, That iu the estimation of this Conven- 
tion there are only three kinds of cane, viz.: Chinese 
Sugar Cane, having black seeds, growing in prongs 
from 2 to 7 inches long ; the second or tufted varie- 
ty to he known as African ; the third, lately intro- 
duced, to be known as the Otaheitau, having long 
heads, 7 to 12 inches long, and 1 to 2 inches thick. 
The uncertainty with regard to seed appears 
to be one of the greatest difficulties of the culti- 
vator, and it is doubtful if sending, as some 
propose, to more southern localities, will per- 
manently better the matter. What is needed, 
is a variety suited to a northern latitude, which 
will maintain itself year after year. The Sor- 
ghum is, like the Indian corn, liable to great va- 
riation, and a permanent variety, or race, can 
only be established by careful selection and cul- 
tivation. The fact, that one cultivator raised 
twelve varieties from one kind of seed, shows 
the want of stability in the varieties. There is 
no doubt that by cultivating for the seed alone, 
and carefully rejecting that from inferior plants; 
a variety may be established, whicli will be su- 
perior to any now in cultivation. There is 
needed careful observation as to what relation, 
if any, the saccharine quality of the cane bears 
to the color and marking of the seed, and the 
form of the heads. Whoever will conduct a 
series of experiments with a view to improving 
the Sorghum, will do much to remove the un- 
certainty attending its culture. The opinion of 
the members of the convention upon the prepa- 
ration of the seed, was divided, some preferring 
to plant it dry, and others soaking and sprout- 
ing previous to sowing. Mr. Pardee found it 
advantageous, to soak the seed 24 to 30 hours 
iu a solution of "chloride of lime and vitriol " 
(proportions not stated,) he then puts it in bags, 
and covers in warm ground, until it sprouts. 
With regard to soil, nothing especially new 
was brought forward, the prevailing opinion 
was that any soil being suitable for Indian 
corn, would do for Sorghum. Manuring, and 
deep plowing in the Fall, were generally advo- 
cated, and a number of speakers gave their 
experience in favor of ridging the ground, by 
throwing two furrows together, and planting 
on the ridges. 
Inquiries for Sorghum Seed. 
e 
We are sorry to be unable to respond to a 
multitude of inquiries as to where pure seed can 
be obtained in quantity for next year. We made 
diligent efforts to get a lot from France for dis- 
tribution last Spring, but found that there was 
the same deterioration there as here, owing to 
similar carelessness in keeping it free from hy- 
bridization.. Learning that Messrs. Vilmorin, 
Andrieux & Co. had sent to China for new seed, 
we called upon them while in Paris last Sum- 
mer, to try and secure some ; but they informed 
us that they would pro'bably be able to procure 
only a small quantity, and that they should 
most likely propagate all the}' did get, so as to 
obtain a supply for the season of 1864. They 
kindly promised, however, that if they could 
possibly spare even a small quantity, they 
would send it to us — but held out little encour- 
agement. We shall be glad for any reliable in- 
formation as to where pure" seed may be obtain- 
ed, as there is now a great call for it. 
i The publisher of the Agriculturist feels no little 
gratification at the result of his efforts a few 
years ago, when he scattered freely, over the 
country tens of thousands of parcels of sorghum 
seed. Though we charged nothing for the seed 
except the postage, and advised a trial of but a 
small quantity at first, yet not a few 7 cotempora- 
ries cried out " humbug." This same seed laid 
the foundation for the immense crop of sweet- 
ening grown at the West the past year. Prob- 
ably three-fourths or more of all the sorghum 
grown in our country as yet, has come from 
the seed originally sent out from this office. 
Good for tub New-Hampshire Girls. — In 
Rockingham County, N. II., an aged farmer 
has sent three sons to the war, leaving him- 
self short of help. Fourteen of the young 
women of that place recently collected together 
and husked a hundred bushels of corn for him. 
Their "lily hands" may have been roughened 
by the work, but the good hearts going with 
such hands, will be a treasure to the fortunate 
winnars, worth far more than delicate fingers. 
Blinks from a Lantern- • • -XXXII. 
REDIVIVUS. 
DIOGENES VISITS RICHARD BULLION ESC;. 
" It is capital that makes good farming," said 
Mr. Bullion, as he bowed me into his parlor, and 
pointed me to such a seat of silky, downy 
softness, as Diogenes rarely sees in all his visits. 
" With capital," continued Bullion, in that self- 
satisfied air whicli he assumes when he re- 
members that lie is worth a hundred and fifty 
thousand dollars, "a man can make thelanddo 
pretty much as he pleases. He has only to 
tickle the soil witli a hoe, to make it laugh with 
such a harvest as the barns can hardly hold." 
Bullion has never seen better days, has never 
enjoyed himself so entirely as he now does. He 
has run his race in the city, has gbt money 
enough to satisfy a man of his reasonable tastes, 
and has retired to the country to enjo} 7 the 
evening of his days — a pretty long evening it 
may be, for he is now but just turned of fifty. 
He was a farmer's boy, but precious little good 
did his birthplace do him, for he left it for a 
country store at fourteen, strongly bent on mer- 
chandise and a fortune. Though he never ac- 
quired any skill in husbandry beyond learning 
to milk, churn, pick stones, and ride on horse- 
back, ho learned to love country life, and al- 
ways cherished the dream of returning to the 
paternal acres to fix up the old homestead, to 
keep fat cattle, sheep, and pigs, to drive a good 
horse, and take premiums at the County and 
State Agricultural Fairs. It is not improbable 
that ho might have made a farmer, if his father 
had been a good one. But he managed every 
thing upon "the penny wise and pound foolish " 
principle, worked hard himself, and never had 
half help enough to make his farming profitable. 
Every thing was done on a small, mean scale, 
aud young Bullion left home early with the 
parental consent, determined that when he got 
ready to farm it, he would not be cramped. 
He succeeded in the city, so far as the making 
of money was concerned, but never took that 
social position which his wife coveted for her 
family. She longed to be invited to Mrs. Gin- 
gerwell's parties, in the Fifth Avenue, but never 
quite accomplished it. She got invited into the 
Second Avenue frequently, and lived in the 
Ninth herself. For her part, she could never 
see why folks who lived in the Fifth Avenue, 
should feel so much above people who lived 
in still higher Avenues. She left the city with- 
out being able to solve the mystery. 
But Bullion did not share his wife's sympa- 
thies in this respect, He did not care a snap for 
Mrs. Gingerwcll's parties, so long as old Ginger- 
well bought his groceries of him and paid his 
bills. He felt as weTl in the purchase and sale 
of tea, coffee, wines, and sugars, as Mrs. Ginger- 
well did in the use of them, and the aristocratic 
notions of his customers never troubled him. 
Richard Bullion was not going to bother his 
head about such women's notions. Not he! 
Well, Richard had realized his dream, at least 
in part, had got back to the old homestead, had 
reared a handsome monument to his parents in 
