172 
SOUTHERN CULTIVATOR. 
Harrow as for Indian corn. Take special pains to ^ei 
the soil in fine tilth. Plant as early as possible — in this 
latitude, from the 1st to the 25th of May — in rows three 
Jo three and a half feet apart, and in hills from one and a 
half to two feet a}>art. Pass a lig'nt roller over the hills 
after platriing About a dozen seeds- should be planted 
ih c&ift hill, and at the second hoeing the plants should be 
^tinned out, leaving only eight to a hill. Many experi- 
enced formers use a iittle guarso, poudrette or ashes, to 
give the corn an early start and keep it ahead of the 
weeds. This should be done with a careful hand, or the 
k'l'tirizer will make a clean sweep of the brooms. The 
summer treatment of tlsis crop is precisely like that of 
Indian corn. The horse cultivator should keep down 
every weed. At the last hoeing, the plants should be 
hilled up a little. 
In September, when the heads are matured, the crop 
should be ‘habled.’’ This is done by going through the 
field, rov/ after row, and breaking down the top of each 
so that it will lie in a horizontal position. The crop 
'is then ready for harvesting. Before severe frosts come 
(m, go through the rows and cut off the brush with a sharp 
knife, just above the upper section, and spread them in 
diin layers on the barn floor, or on piles of loose rails or 
jwlos, where the air can circulate freely through them 
H^heti thoroughly dried, they may be cleaned of seed by 
iwachines, many styles of which have been made for this 
ijiurpose. 
'1 correspondent of the Cultivator describes a cheap in- 
ulrumcnt, w'hich can be made by any farmer, as follows : 
Wail a plank, about three-fourtbs of an inch thick and fen 
inches wide, to a stationary bench, letting it (the board) 
rors above the bench a foot. Then take a saw and make 
aeeth in the end of the said plank, like those of a comb, 
and we are ready for operations. Take three or four 
atraws at a time and draw them across the comb till they 
are clean, presssing a little with one hand, while you 
draw with the other, and so proceed until all your brush 
'IS ready for the broom-maker — American Agriculturist. 
THE NEW SUGAR CANE. 
It is probable that none of our readers are ignorant of 
the fact that a new and irnportaht addition to the agricul- 
iiWal products of our country has been made within the 
|jast' two years, under the auspices of the Patent Office, 
ihrough the instrumentality of D. J. BrOwne, Esq , who 
«si‘ed Europe in l854-'5 for the purpose of obtaining 
laew and improved varieties of plants, &c ; nor that, while 
she great value ot the Chinese Sugar Cane procured by 
Mr. Browne in France is very generally acknowledged, 
•^bere are yet not wanting those who still doubt the fact, 
are disposed to persist in disparaging the useful efiort-s 
of this important branch of the Department of the Interior. 
The arrival ofMr. Wray is, therefore, is peculiarly oppor- 
taMie; for becomes not only prepared with overpower- 
ing evidences of the great value of the new Sugar Cane, 
Ssiit with the seeds of new varieties, specimens of sugai 
and alcohol manufactured from its juice, the testimony of 
j®Bple experience in its cultivation, and the information 
.■stfijd skill in relation to its manufacture which an experi 
csBBced and intelligent mind alone can possess at this early 
p®triod in the history of these nevv products. 
Kepairing to the Cape of Good Hope from India in 
5851 f purpose of a temportiry sojourn only, Mr 
Wray was induced to ascend to Caffraria by the repre- 
jseotations he had received respecting the soil, climate, and 
products of the country, and there found a number of per- 
sons engaged in the cultivation of the ordinary sugar 
but was suprised also at finding among the spon- 
pro lucts of the soil sixteen varieties of a plant 
sicSti in saccharine juice, but which he was infornried all 
atitopts at crystallising had proved unavailing. Yielding 
to the temptation, however, he at once conAructed, in a 
retired place, some rude machinery and appliances for 
extracting the juice and reducing it to syrup and thence 
to sugar, and found but little difficulty or delay in the 
performance of his purpose. He thereupon at once 
changed the plans for the future that had led him to Africa, 
and resolved upon introducing to the civilized world this 
plant of inestimable value. How far he has already suc- 
ceeded may be understood when we state that the Iniphec, 
as Mr. Wray prefers that this plant should be calkd, is 
now known in the product of the cane and the manuf.ic- 
fure of sugar, alcohol, and other products from its juice in 
England, France, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Germany, 
Belgium, Turkey, Mauritius. Ceylon, I'unis, the East 
Indies, the West Indies, Brazil, Canada, and the United 
States. 
We have stated that Mr. Wray has found sixteen varie- 
ties of this plant ; and we may add that the variety hither- 
to brought to this country from France constitutes a 
seventeenth. How widely these varieties differ from each 
other we are not fully informed; but we understand that 
they differ in size, in the strength of ihe stalk, the period 
nf growth, &c. Every agriculturist acquainted with the 
vari ations in ail the staple crops of the country, and the 
adapted ness of each to its special use, locality, season, 
&G , will readily comprehend the probability and the wis- 
dom of the same arrangement with respect to this novel 
product. 
In answer to a question respecting the propriety of ap- 
plying the name '•'■Chivese Sugar Cane,” Mr. Wray stated 
that, although it is doubtless indigenous to Africa, he yet 
found no difficulty in identifying it with specimens for- 
merly obtained in China, in which vve believe, however, 
ihe seminal principle had been destroyed by the time 
consumed in transportation and the attendant vicisitudes; 
but strangely enough, so far as can be learned, even the 
Chinese have failed to crysialize sugar from its juice; 
though there, as well as in Africa, this sweet and Irmpid 
juice is doubtless universally relished. 
In Africa thirty tons of the green stalks are obtained 
from an acre of ground. In the South of France the pro- 
duct has varied from 10 to 30 tons; and under favorable 
circumstances, from 00 to 80 per cent for juice may be 
extracted from this. The average product of dry seeds is 
about 50 bushels to the acre. Mr Wray also fully con- 
firms, and even amplifies the other important representa- 
tions that have been made on this subject, especially in 
relation to the value of this plant as a forage crop. Cattle 
horses, sheep and swine are all fond ot it, and the honey 
bee delights in the richness of its flowers. In the particu- 
lar of culture, his information also accords with the in- 
structions that have been issued from the Patent Office. 
The time of planting must, of course v.ary, according to 
the latitude and local peculiarities. It is very hard in re- 
sisting excessive moisture, continued drouth, or early or 
late frosts. It will not probably exceed, nor, it may be, 
even equal in productiveness, crop for crop, with the su- 
gar cane of the tropics; but it has ihe advantage of yield- 
several crops in the year in those latitudes — of being, in- 
deed, a continuous bearer. 
Mr. Wray favored us with three samples of the pro- 
ducts of this plant— the first, a specimen of sugar dried 
with the molasses in it to preserve the peculiar aroma ; the 
second, a specimen free from molasses; and, third, a 
specimen of unrectified alcohol distilltd directly from the 
juice. These specimens are now in our office, and we 
will take pleasure in exhibiting them to all who are inter- 
ested in this subject. 
Something has been said of Mr. Wray’s having visited 
this country for the prosecution of some special enters 
prise with other gc^ndemen indicated. This is a mis- 
apprehension which does injustice both to him and to 
