287 
SOUTHERiX CULTIVATOR. 
EXPERI3IENTS WITH THE SORGHO- A>Si;\'ER i 
to Wm. H. Stevenson. j 
Editors Southern Cultivator — In the July number 
of the Mr. Stevenson, after entering his pro- 
test against fictitious signatures, makes some inquiries of 
me respecting the Chinese Sugar Cane. I have no doubt 
that Mr. S. is better prepared to give me instruction on 
the subject than I am to communicate information to 
him. He, at least, has one year’s advantage of me in 
raising the Sorgho. But as far ns my information ex- 1 
tends lam willing to give it for the public benefit, I 
The first question, I think is answered in the article he i 
referred to. The fodder should not be allowed to speck 
and dry up. A second growth should especially be 
guarded against, as it destroys the saccharine matter in the 
cane. 
I have not observed the effect on the teeth, from the use 
of the syrup, of which he speaks. 
I do not think sugar could be profitable made for home 
consumption, though further experiment may remove 
some of the difficulties. To make sugar, either from the j 
Sorgho or the tropical cane, successfully, and cheaply, re- j 
quires costly apparatus. I mean good, dry sugar. The : 
principal difficulty with me was getting rid of molasses, j 
I will give my process of last year, which, as far as it: 
goes, is simple enough, and proves that the Sorghum j- 
Saccharatum is a cane sugar producing plant. | 
I cut the cane at the stage of ripeness described in the I 
article to which Mr. S. refers ; added lime to the cold j 
juice until it would no longer redden litmus paper, but ; 
was careful not to render it alkaline. The latter I guarded 
against by testing with turmeric paper. The object was . 
to have the juice neutral. I brought the juice to the boil- j 
ing point, slowly, skimming as the impurities arose to the j 
surface. After removing the first thick scum, I boiled fast 
«s possible until the syrup began to thicken; then slack- 
ened the fire, and evaporated slowly, until the syrup 
would barely run when cold. It was then put in vessels 
and set aside. In two or three days the mass was filled | 
with crystals. This wms all very easy, so far, but I found . 
the draining tedious. This I did by putting the mass in j 
a conical bag, made of thin domestic, such as is^ used for j 
quilt linings. After partially draining my sugar I used it j 
to sweeten coffee, and thought it excellent— perhaps, be- 1 
cause it was made at home, i 
While 1 am on the subject I will describe my skimmer 
and boiler, Avhich, as far as I know, are original with me, 
in their application to syrup making. 
The skimmer is a saucer-shaped piece of tin, eight ' 
inches jn diameter, with a piece cut out of the botiom two j 
inches across, and a piece of perforated tin soldered over j 
the opening, through which the juice escapes, while the I 
scum is retained. j 
My boiler is constructed as follows : — The sides are of | 
plank 1 1-2 inch thick, 1 foot wide and 4 feet long. ! 
The bottom and sides are of a continuous piece of sheet | 
iron, 6 feet long by 2 feet wide; the ends of the iron i 
being turned up to form the ends of the boiler. The sheet 
iron is nailed on the wood with six-penny nails. It is ' 
necessary to punch the holes in the iron for the nails. I 
thus have an evaporator four feet long and two wide, j 
holding eight cubic feet, and presenting an evaporating' 
surface of eight square feet. I rest the edges of the boiler | 
on brick work, the fire passing lengthwise under the bot- 
tom. j 
I was so well pleased with this evaporator laat year that 
I have made two others for the present crop. Another : 
recommendation of this “homespun” boiler, is its cheap- 
ness, costing only about two dollars. 
I intend making some further experiments with the 
Sorgho this summer and shall report accordingly. Will ’ 
not Mr. Stevenson do the same I I have no doubt the ’ 
i 
Chinese Sugar Cane will yet become a very important 
agricultural product. Sylvanus, 
July, 1859. 
THE A3IERICAN PUMP. 
One of the newest and most useful inventions of the day 
is a Double Acting Force Pump, owned by Jas. M. Edney,- 
147 Chambers st,, in this city. It is without packing, and 
without suction, is exceedingly simple in its construction, 
and, at the same time, possesses all the requirements of a 
good pump, and can be used either as a well, a cistern, 
or a ship’s pump. It is not liable to get out of order, and 
has but one barrel and one piston, being without guide 
rods, slides, chains, or pulleys. So easy can it be worked, 
that any girl or boy ten years old can manage it without 
the least trouble at 60 or 70’feet, and under 30 feet the 
wo; king power is scarcely perceptible. At the discharge 
pipe is a screw to which a hose pipe can be attached, 
and water can be thrown to a height of from 30 to 40 feet. 
It does not lose a drop of water, and has no extra appli- 
ances from 1 foot to 100 feet. A model and pump can be 
seen at the office, 147 Chambers street ; but those who 
would witness it in full operation and judge for themselves 
of its remarkable properties, should go to the factory, 432 
East Tenth street, where a number of obliging attendants 
will take pleasure in showing and explaining its work- 
ings, and where the visitor can have an opportunity of 
handling and trying it at 20 and 65 feet. As a pump for 
attaching hose ip case of sudden fire, either on ship-board 
or in the house, it will be found an invaluable adjunct. 
It works by hand, wind, water, and steam. Drawings 
and prices sent free . — Xeio York Express. 
VIOLETS. 
I found a violet to-day I 
In the budding wild wood. 
Where I roamed in childhood, 
Where the velvet mosses spring. 
Where the robins build and sing, 
There the blue-eyed darlings lay. 
As I plucked them one by one, 
How their pure touch thrilled me ! 
How their sweet breath filled me 
With a vision of that time. 
In the summer’s golden prime, 
^Vhen all things beneath the sun 
Seemed to speak the joy they know. 
Tuneful streams were flowing, 
Scented winds were blowing. 
In the fields wild roses blushed. 
To the meadows clover-flushed 
I could see the mowers go. < 
Surely, said I, soul of mine. 
Full of restless yearning. 
With thy fond hopes burning. 
If these simple flowers of spring 
Such a sweet fore-knowledge bring; 
Thou raayest dream thy dreams divine. 
Twenty-five Cents per Bushel. — W'e were present 
the other day — since the frost — when a farmer of this 
county engaged one thousand bushels of corn at tw^enty- 
five cents per bushel — the corn to be of this year’s crop 
and delivered next fall. This will do . — Gonzales In- 
quirer. 
Wisdom is the olive which springs from the heart, 
blooms on the tongue and bears fruit in the actions. 
