SOUTHERN CULTIVATOR. 
369 
■examined by myself was uniformly found to be 1,085 with 
but little variation, and in every case some small correct- 
ions for temperature, which would increase the specific 
gravity slightly. The average density given by various 
pressing 70 per cent , we have a yield of blO gallons per 
acre. 
I examined carefully the specimens of syrup boiled un- 
der the eye of Mr. Peters, and also by myself Several of 
observers in tlie West Indies, of juice from the several | these specimens were of a superior quality, all of them 
’ ’ surpassing my expectations, in view of Ihe crude manner 
in which they were made. There is present in all of 
them, to a greater or less degree, (owing to differences in 
manipulation) a peculiar flavor, reminding one of the 
maple sugar, which is very grateful to the palate and gives 
, it a decided preference over the article which we get un- 
known to contain a larger portion of salts and vegetable der the name of New Orleans syrup. This, so far as I 
matter than the latter. It argnes only the remarkable j know, has been the uniform judgment of all who have 
varieties of Sugar Cane grown in these colonies, is about 
9® Beaume, corresponding to a specific gravity of 1,0(14 — 
less considerably than mine. From this fact, -however, it 
is not to be inferred that the juice of our cane abounds 
more largely in saccharine matter than that of the West 
Indies, for such is probably not the fact — for the former is 
adaptation of th 
soil. 
Chinese Sugar Cane to our climate and i tasted it. These syrups give a precipitate of foreign mat- 
; ters, with the basic acetate of lead (a delicate test) little if 
M. "Vilmorin obtained from this “sap” of the densities at all, greater in amount than the New Orleans syrup. 
named, from 1,050 to 1,075 on the 
13th Oct., 1853 10:04 per cent, saccharine mat. 
38th Nov., “ 13:08 
“ “ (2nd trial) 14:06 “ “ “ 
14th Nov , 1854 16:00 “ “ “ 
Of the latter 11:75 were uncrystallizable, and but 4:25 of 
the crystahzable variety. 
M. Avequin obtained from the juice of this cane, grown, 
I presume, in Louisiana. 
Saccharine matter ..152 
Salts and organic mattor. . 10 
Water 838 
Cane juice employed . .1000 
I have not been able to compare these experiments with i 
The precise nature of these precipitates remain to be as- 
certained and compared. The syrups vary considerably 
in density — those from the Chinese Cane ranging from 
1:298 to 1:335, while that of the New Orleans sample was 
1:321. This variation in the density is an evil which 
should be corrected, to produce a good marketable syrup 
which shall keep well. Samples of the Chinese Cane 
syrup have been valu-M by the intelligent dealers in the 
article, in our section, at from 65 to 75 cents the gallon, 
by the barrel. 
In calculating the yield of this crop, we must take into 
j consideratiou 1200 pounds of excellent fodder and 25 
i bushels of a corn, worth, as food for stock, say tv/o-thirds 
j the value of the ordinary corn ; and, also, we must esti- 
mate the very valuable cfop of rattoons (shoots), which 
similar results obtained here. I propose doing so during I immediately after the cutting from the old roots^ 
the comino- season. ! mature with us a very heavy crop of most valualile 
. . 1 . 1-1 , i stock food and seed: so that we can fairly offset against 
M. \ilmorm estimates the per centage by weight of I, • r. ... 
rn ? the syrup crop in the Way of expcHses, nothing Hiore than 
mice obtained by him at 50 to 60 parts in the 100 of cane .. i u r ° 
, J • , , -n ... I the labor of its manufacture, for the forage and corn will 
employed, and remarks that even /O per cent can be easily! ,, r.i i. 
-r. . • I well repay the expenses of the culture. 
Ki 7 T^rrvr^Ar* In fV J* Mof/ikrc? r\Kf-cj i norl x ^ x 
obtained by proper machinery. fv r. Peters obtained 
from his mill an average of 50 per cent., and juice could 
be readily wrung from the bagass by hand. Thirty canes 
were sorted out and weighed by myself, and after grind- 
■ing gave the following results : 
Thirty canes weighed . . . . 52 lbs. 14 oz 
juice collected 26 “ 1 “ 
Bagass 26 “ 7 “ 
Juice lost in mill, say 6 “ 
The juice actually extracted weighed precisely one half 
that of the cane used. Two pounds of the bagass was 
weighed and carefully dried, and gave 12 ounces, show- 
ing a loss of one pound and four ounces of water, which 
represents 21 7-10 ounces of juice — so that the quantity 
of iuice remaining behind in the bagass may be put down 
.at 17 pounds 15 ounces. The juice now stands: — 
Juice collected. . .26 lbs. 1 oz., or 49:30 per cent. 
'• lust in mill.. 6 “ 70 “ 
•• bagass. . 15 lbs. 7 “ 34:05 “ 
Woody fibre 8 “ 8 “ 15:05 “ 
Cane used .52 lbs. 14 oz. 100 per cent. 
In other words, we have 84i per cent of juice and 15| 
per cent, of woody fibre. From those figures it would 
seem that 70 per cent, in juice ought to be easily obtain- 
able by proper machinery, and it becomes more apparent 
when we take into consideration the soft compressible 
texture of this cane, as compared with that of the West 
Indies. 
Mr. Peters states the yield of his best eigth acre in syrup 
A full consideration of the facts which have been passed 
over somewhat in detail, must make it evident to the mind 
of every intelligent farmer, that this plant presents at this 
time a promise of revjard for its culture, unequalled by any 
which has been introduced upon our soil since the intro- 
duction of the cotton plant. If it shall but place the means 
in the hands of every farmer and planter to make upon 
his own premises, at a nominal price, all the syrup which 
his family and negroes can profitably consume, it will 
have done much, yes, xcry vmck, for the South. And 
yet with the large demand for this article for foreign ac- 
count, which the destruction of the grapevines of Europe 
has occasioned, together with the facility with which it 
may profitably be converted into rum and alcohol, at 
prices which must defy competition with whiskey from 
corn or rye, may we not anticipate much larger results'? 
The reduction in price consequent upon the general culti- 
vation of the cane throughout the South, must materially 
increase the consurnp'ion in subMituting it in great part 
for the expensive bacon, for which we are now dependent 
upon the North-west. While its greater cheajiness will 
doubtless commend it to the lower classes of Europe, as a 
partial substitute at least for sugar. With the augmented 
consumption of the syrup and the immense outlet for it in 
the form of rum and alcohol, we have nothing to tear from 
over-production for years to come. The enl'ghtened and 
enterprising portion of Southern agriculturists who read 
the Cnllivator , will, I trust, reap a rich harvest, ere the 
market shall have become glutted. 
We have here, too, a remedy for the difficulties long felt 
at 52i gallons — that of the j)Oorest eighth at 43i gallons, and acknowledged at the South, growing out of the cul- 
Taking the aveiage, we have as the yield of the entire ture of Cotton as our sole great staple. The general intro- 
acre, 407 gals., assuming the yield uf juice to correspond duction of the Cane must, for y'ears to come, limit the pro- 
with the average results obtained by experiment, say 50 duction of cotton and greatly enhance its price, adding 
per cent, of the entire weight, with proper machinery, ex- j a considerable increase to tho value of our exports, and 
