SOUTHERN CULTIVATOR. 
SUGAK MILLET— “SORGHO SUCRE.” 
Editors Southkrx Cuj.tivatop- — When I heani of the 
“Chinese Sugar Cane,” as something “ new under the 
sun,” and as possessing such superior qualities, 1 procured 
some of the seeds, planted and watched its growth and de- 
velopment witlt muci) solicitude. It has matured ! and 
judge my surprise, when I found it to be identical with 
our “guinea corn,” or “guinea wheat,” {IIolcv.s S'^rnhwn) 
a grain that has been cultivated on our sea coast from | 
time “whereof the memory of man runneth not to the con- 
trary.” It was probably brought to this country direct 
from the coast of Africa at that time when it was fashion- 
able, and profitable, too, for our Nortliern brethren to im- 
port slaves for us; and the seed was then, perhaps, 
brought over by the slaves themselves. I can look back — 
and not very far back either — to the time when there were 
slaves among us of “native Africans,” and these natives, 
with a predilection very natural — perhaps instinctive — 
always planted their own seed, instead of our Indian Maize 
as our other negroes did. 
As far as rny researches have gone, it appears that 
when this seed was first introduced there was quite as 
much ado about it as some are disposed to make of it now. 
In order to verify this statement, I make a short quota- 
tion from an old author, who wrote about this Sugar 
Cane some sixty years since. He says : — “The stalks 
are large, compact, gene-''ally attaining the height of 7 or 8 
feet and producing abundance of grain. It may be easily 
raised and the seed should be planted early in the spring. 
In Tuscany, Syria and Palestine, the flour made of this 
gram is mixed with other meal and made into bread, &c ” 
* ♦ * “The juice (he continues) exuding from 
the stalks of the guinea corn is so agreeably luscious that 
its affords excellent sugar by a process similar to that 
adopted with the sugar cane. The seed furnish nourish- 
ing food to poultry and pigeons, as well as for horses and 
hogs.” 
x\(lerthe maturity of my plants, and time had unmask- 
ed their heads and betrayed the identity of this new comer 
as an “old familiar,” I could not but smile at the encomi- 
ums passed upon it by the press under its new name of 
“Chinese Sugar Cane.” 
lam not disposed to question a word which has been 
said in its favor, by the National IntelUgcnc-er, nor in 
Gov. Hammond’s Report on it. I do contend^ however, 
that what has been said of the “Sorgho Sucre” is true to 
a fuller extent of our common Maize. Fair experiments 
will prove the following propositions : 
1st. On a given area of land, of the same strength or 
richness, with similar tillage, our corn will produce as 
much or more grain, in weiglif, as the Chinese “Sorgho 
Sucre.” 
2nd, Our corn as food is more palatable and nutritious 
and can be prepared, as food, in a greater variety of 1 
ways 
3rd. Our corn produces more forage that is equally as 
wholesome and palatable to stock. 
4th. Sugar and syrup can be made from corn stalks 
equally as good as and more abundant than from the 
stalks of the Chinese sugar cane. 
5th. Corn stalks can be cultivated for grinding sugar, 
as early and late in the season as the other stalks and 
6th. Neither the common corn stalks nor the Chinese 
Sugar Cane, will ever rival or supplant the old and trusty 
“ Sugar Cane” {Arundo Sacchomifera) for making sugar, 
even in our latitude. 
I am, by no means, disposed to disparage the estimate 
set upon this plant, by others, nor to detract from it any 
intrinsic value it may in itself possess ; nor, least of all, 
to undervalue the importance of the laudable efforts of 
the Government to introduce among us every variety of 
“seed, breed and generation” of animals and vegetables. 
It is too important a matter, lightly to esteem the efforts of 
Government in behalf of agriculture; and it is equally im- 
portant that these etforts siiould be tested by reliable, 
practi.'al, and intelligent agriculturists. ! write only 
tVoin a desire to impart what 1 think \kn>nr. The “Sorgho- 
Sucre” is an old thing with a new name. Its virtues have 
been i'nUy tested. Jt ha.s alread)' had its day in these 
parts, and i venture to predict for (lie “Sorgho Sucre,” the 
fate of tli..i “AL'-ius IMuluc culis” and all the “Prolific cot- 
ton seed,” v.l'iioh hj\e teen ]Vilr,:el off on the people, for 
their siipcr/or /uuti'tc.'’, at fruni IC cenrs per seed to S'iG 
per busbel. Y-ai -s. , Ruricoi.k. 
Liboa, Ga., S^pt., iSj’J. 
Remarks. — We publish tlie foregoing, merely to prove 
how easy it is for even an intelligent g<"ntieman aud ac- 
curate observer, to be nu&lakcn. The resemblance of the 
Chinese Sugar Cane to the old and worthless “Chicken 
Corn.” is so striking that we nearly fell into the same er- 
ror ourselves, while travelling through a remote valley of 
Upper Georgia, last season. A moment’s mastication of 
the stalk of the “Chicken Corn,” at once undeceived u^' 
— it was as dry and tasteless as an old corn stalk. 
It is too late now to attempt a disparagement of the 
true Chinese Sugar Cane. It is a fixed fact in Southern 
agriculture, and will stand on its own merits. The re- 
port of Gov, Hammond’ of S. C, in our last, and that of 
Mr. Peters in the present issue, furnish a sufficient re- 
ply to the letter of our well-meaning friend, RuricoU 
who has evidently formed his opinion by the eye alone. 
The public must be on their guard against ^puriovo 
seed, and be careful to plant the true Chinese Cane en- 
tirely apart from all the varieties of the Millet family. — 
Eds, So. Cult. 
V7HEAT GROWING ON THE SEA COAST. 
Editors Southern Cultivator — Wishing to test the 
capability of our soil and climate, on the immediate coast, 
in the production of wheat, and not knowing the varieties 
in use, I wish to get your advice on the subject. Our 
climate, as you are aware, from contiguity to the sea, is a 
damp one, although vve are not subject to fogs. The winds 
in spring for half the day are southeasters and are conse- 
quently damp. But from the lOth or 15th of April to the 
15th or 20th of May, we usually have a diy spell, making 
it difficult to germinate seeds ; and I have thought that if 
we could get wheat in flower about that time we could 
generally insure good crops. 
If you could advise me of the proper rime to sow, and 
the variety to sow, and where that variety could be pur- 
chased I you would very much oblige, 
Yours most respectfully, B. S. S. 
Liberty Co-unty, Ga., Avgust, 1856. 
Remark.s. — We advise a trial of the early May Wheat 
(white) or “Tubman.” Sow the present month, from 1 ta 
1 5 bushels per acre, on land deeply plowed, turning under 
from 200 to 300 pounds of Guano to the acre and harrow- 
ing and rolling in the seed. P. H. Greene, of LaGrange, 
Ga., usually has a fine variety cf Wheat for sale. We 
should be glad to hear further from our seaboard ^ilanters, 
— Ed.s. So. Cult. 
— » ♦ — 
gj^As ceremony is itie invention of wise men to keep 
fools at a distance, so good breeding is an expedient ta 
make fools and wise men equal. 
