THE SORGHO, OR CHINESE SUGAR CANE. The sorgho appears to be a plant of a nature between the sugar cane of the West Indies and the maize or Indian corn. It is like the former in the stem, but, so far as we can ascertain, is nowhere like it a perennial plant. It comes to maturity in five months, whilst the cane requires from twelve to eighteen months, according to the irrigation applied to it. With regard to the maize, the sorgho resembles it in its growth, foliage and constitution, but is totally different in granular produce. In saccharine properties the cane and the sorgho are nearly of an equal value; for whilst the cane yields from fourteen to eighteen per cent of saccharine, the sorgho will yield according to Leplay fifteen, and to Dupeyrat ten per cent. of crystallizable sugar, of precisely the same character as that of the cane, the beet-root and the maple. As fodder, however, the sorgho possesses valuable properties, and will doubtless be extensively cultivated in the north of France. Whether for that purpose it could be grown in the United Kingdom remains to be proved; but, at any rate, it is worth trying. In that case it ought to be sown in the latter end of June, or early in July, when there is no danger from frost. It will then be ready to cut in September, and continue until November. If the plants were raised on seed-beds, protected from the frosts at night, it would enable the grower to obtain them at least a month earlier, and they would then come in at a period when the dry weather would render them particularly useful for cattle. With respect to the mode of cultivating the sorg ho, it is sometimes sown broad-cast and sometimes in drills. Another method is by throwing the land into small hillocks by first ploughing it in the Northumberland fashion, and then by cross-ploughing, to form it into squares, upon which put in about four seeds or plants (if ready), at a distance of about a foot apart. A small quantity of guano, or other artificial manure, put in near, but not with the seed, will materially promote its growth. A light sandy soil is the most adopted to the sorgho, but it should be well manured. The Landes. in the department of the Loire, to which the statement of M. Dupeyrat refers, are a pure moving sand; ten pound of seed per acre is about the quantity. It should be previously steeped in water from twenty-four hours to three days; the latter in order to hasten its growth. The seeds which swim on the top should be thrown away, as only that which sinks to the bottom will vegetate. The quantity of produce from the sor gho is prodigeous. Dupeyrat speaks of a return at Begrie, in 1857, in one cutting, of one hundred and twenty-three thousand kilos per hectolitre, or about forty eight and a half tons per acre. It grows from nine to twelve feet high, the specimen we have received being fully the latter. It throws out several stems from the root, and when intended for sugar-making the weak roots are taken off, leaving from three to five only of the stronger ones, but when it is intended for fodder this is unnecessary. In France it is used in the making of wine; and two ares, which are two hundred and thirty-nine square yards, yielded one hundred and thirty-two gallons of excellent wine. In distilling the ripe plant will produce from seven hundred and forty-five to nine hundred and eighty per cent. of alcohol. This refers to the South. It is estimated that forty-four thousand kilos of green sorgho are equal to sixteen thousand kilos of hay in nutritive properties. The cattle are remarkably fond of it, and will leave any other food whatever for it.-Abridged from Farmer's Magazine, age 160, vol. for 1859. THE EXHAUSTION OF THE SOIL BY THE CULTURE OF SORGHO. I have submitted this grain for analysis, employing African samples, for which I am indebted to M. Leplay. From my various researches the following mean figures result, relative only to the substances interesting in the present point of view. These figures have been established in one thousand of the matter analysed: Organic matter.. Ashes.. .... 10,937, or azote.... 1,750 37,000, of which acid phosph.. 23,896 These results do not differ very widely from those already obtained from various chemists, and principally from Professor Filhol, who only marked the figure of the albuminous matter, valued by him at 1.5, for one hundred. By their aid it is now possible to calculate exactly the absolute quantity of azote and mineral matter taken from the soil by sorgho. But what is of more importance is to compare it with what is taken from the earth by other plants. Now, among those grown in the South, there is only wheat and maize which may be put on a level with the sorgho, and more particularly the latter, on account of the similarity in the method of cultivation which they both require. If then we examine their chemical composition, established by M. M. Bousingault and Payen, we find there is found in wheat, in one thousand Organic matter, 24,100, of which acid phosph... 11,323 M. Peligot, who has particularly examined the wheat in the South, finds one hundred and sixty parts of albuminous matter in it; and, in maize, M. Pogilas has found ninety-nine only. M. Payen has given the following analysis of maize : Organic matter... Asbes 19,68€ 123,000, or azote..... 5,400 From these figures we find that a crop of sorgho takes from the soil twentyone parts less of az te than wheat, and eighteen less than maize. In return, the quantity of phosphoric acid, subtracted, is nearly double that taken by wheat, and four times more than maize-admitting, however, that we have not reckoned on the chaff of the maize, which, as every one knows, leaves, in burning on our hearths, a large proportion of ashes. It would follow, then, that, weight for weight, the culture of sorgho would exhaust more mineral matter and much less of azote-which, as every one knows, costs the farmer ten times more than for phosphoric acid. Thus, the kilogramme of azote is not too dear at three francs. Phosphoric acid, in the state of phosphate of lime, costs only about twenty-five cents the kilograme.-From the "Journal de la societe centrale d'Agriculture de Belgique," September, 1859, page 342. VALUE OF BORGHO AS A FORAGE PLANT. The sorgho at first was praised beyond measure; then it was declared to be poisonous, and that it diminished the quantity of milk. In short, after repeated experiments, made by very distinguished farmers, it was considered as one of the best fodder plants we can cultivate. In his experiments, made in 1856 and 1858, M. F. Peer has obtained the following results: In the month of May a field was sown, hoed and cleaned as usual. The plants, fifteen centimetres distant, soon began to spring up. At the end of July they were cut down and given as fodder to 4 cows who ate it greedily. These cows were fed on it entirely from the beginning of August till the beginning of October, a period of sixty days. The quantity of milk was the same during this period, The ration of each cow was about seventy-five kilos of the stalks of the herb, or thirty kilos for the four cows; and a field of twenty six ares furnished this quantity for sixty days. M. Peer concluded from these experiments that sorgho, two metres high, can produce, without exaggeration, seventy-two thousand kilos to the hectare. He cut down the sorgho several times, but the last, in August, produced only thin stalks for the sheep. This plant can be cut several times in the year -only when the soil is rich. In August th lower part of the stalk had become stringy. These were cut down and mixed with the leaves, so that not a blad was lost. M. Peer considers a single cutting of sorgho worth four of clover; that is to say a hectare of sorgho is worth more than two hectares of clover as food for cattle. As yet the sorgho has been attacked by no insect, and it is ready for the cattle at the time when the other plants are dried up by the sun. two great advantages. Sorgho cultivated on some lands imbibes poisonous qualities, for which it has been rejected by certain farmers. The accidents caused by sorgho might have been prevented at first by prudent and judicious experiments. If it produces a bad effect it may be mixed with other ingredients. If it is not injurious administer it confidently-and this is nine-tenths of the case.-From the Journal (June No., 1859,) de la societe centrale d'Agriculture de Belgique. These are LAWS OF OHIO FOR THE ENCOURAGEMENT OF AGRICULTURE. AN ACT For the Encouragement of Agriculture. SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Ohio, That whenever thirty or more persons, residents of any county or district embracing two counties of this State, shall organize themselves into a society for the improvement of agriculture within said county or district, and shall have adopted a constitution and by-laws, agreeably to the rules and regulations to be furnished by the Ohio State Board of Agriculture, hereinafter created, and shall have appointed the usual and proper officers; and when the said society shall have raised and paid to their treasurer, by voluntary subscription, or by fees imposed upon its members, any sum of money in each year, not less than fifty dollars; and whenever the president of said society shall certify to the respective county auditors, the amount thus paid, attested by the oath of the treas urer before a magistrate, it shall be the duty of the said county audito s, embraced within the district in which such society shall be organized, to draw an order on the treasurer of the respective county, in favor of the president and treasurer of said society, for a sum equal to the amount thus raised; provided it does not exceed half a cent to each inhabitant to the said County, upon the basis of the last previous national census, but not to exceed in any county the sum of two hundred dollars, and it shall be the duty of the treasurer of the said county to pay the same. Src. 2. That it shall be the duty of the several county or district societies which may be formed under the provisions of the preceding section, during the continuance of this act, annually to offer and award premiums for the improvement of soils, tillage, crops, manures, implements, stock, articles of domestic industry, and such other articles, productions and improvements, as they may deem proper, and may perform all such acts as they may deem best esleulated to promote the agricultural and the household manufacturing interests of the district and of the State; and it shall also be their duty, so to regulate the amount of premiums and the different grades of the same, as that it shall be competent for small as well as large farmers to have an opportunity to compete therefor; and in making their awards, special reference shall be had to the profits which may accrue, or be likely to accrue, from the improved mode of raising the erop, or of improving the soil or stock, or of the fabrication of the articles thus off red, with the intention that the premium shall be given for the most economical mode of improvement; and that all persons offering to compete for premiums, on improved modes of tillage, or the production of any crops, or other articles, shall be required, before such premiums are adjusted, to deliver to the awarding committee a full and correct statement of the process of such mode of tillage or production, and the expense and value of the game, with a view of showing accurately the profits derived or expected to be derived therefrom. SEO. 3. It shall be the duty of each county or district society to publish annually a list of the awards, and an abstract of the treasurer's account, in a newspaper of the district; and to make a report of their proceedings during the year, and a synopsis of the awards for improve ments n agriculture, and household manufactures, together with an abstract of the several deForiptions of those improvements, and also make a repo.t of the condition of agriculture in their county or district, which reports shall be made out in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Ohio State Board of Agriculture, and shall be forwarded to the State Board at their an nual meeting in December, in each year; and no subsequent payment shall be made from the county treasurer, unless a certificate is presented to the auditor from the president of the State Board, showing that such reports have been duly made. SEO 4. That Michael L. Sullivant and Samuel Medary, of Franklin county; Allen Trimbl of Highland; Samuel Spangler and John Chaney, of Fairfield; Darius Lapham, of Hamilton; John B. Bayless, of Jefferson; Greenbury Keen, of Port ge; Simon Perkins, of Summit: John I. Vanmeter, of Pike; Arthur Watts and Felix Rennick of Ross; Elias Florence and William Gill, of Pickaway; Jared P. Kirtland, of Cuyahoga; D. Gregory, of Delaware; John McElderry, of Tuscarawas; Isaac Moor, of Lake; J. Fuller, of Erie; George W. Gibbons, of Musking um; Horatio Gillet, of Lawrence; Anson Howard, of Champaign; John Eccles, of Hancock ; Ziba Lindley, Jr., of Athens; Henry C. Brish, of Seneca; Samuel Myers, of Crawford; David Stevens, of Richland; John Martin, of Columbiana; Gilman C. Mudgett, of Paulding; L O Goble, of Putnam; Isaac Neiswanger, of Belmont: Aaron Johnson, of Perry; William McFad den, of Harrison; Frederick Bonner, of Greene; Jacob T. Fugsley, of Fayette; John W. Cow den, of Trumbull; Billius Kirtland, of Mahoning; Richard Warner, of Medina; John M. Millikin and Absalom Dunn, of Butler; John Johnson, of Miami; Jesse Wilson, of Shelby; Abraham Studdebaker, of Darke; Joseph Burns, of Coshocton; James L. Reynolds, of Stark; Newton Larsh, of Preble; A. E. Strickle, of Clinton; Berjamin Ruggles, of Henry ; Pro man, of Montgomery; William R. Putman, Jr., of Washington; James Louden, of Brown; Dowly Utter, of Clermont; and Beatty McFarland, of Jefferson county, be and they are hereby created a body corporate, with perpetual succession, in the manner hereafter described, under the name and style of the "Ohio State Board of Agriculture.” SEC 5. It shall be the duty of said Board, or any ten of them, to meet in the city of Columbus, on the first Wednesday of April, after the passage of this act, and to organize by appoint ing a president, secretary and treasurer, and such other officers as they may deem necessary ; also determining by lot the time that each member shall serve, so that the term of service of ane half of the members shall expire annually, on the day of the annual meeting in December; and the president shall have power to call meetings of the Board whenever he may deem it ex pedient. SEO. 6. There shall be held in the city of Columbus, on the first Wednesday after the first Monday in December, an annual meeting of the Ohio State Board of Agriculture, together with the president of each County Agricultural Society, or other delegates therefrom, duly authorized, who shall, for the time being, be ex officio members of the State Board of Agriculture, for the purpose of deliberation and consultation as to the wants, prospects and condition of the agri enltural interest throughout the State; and at such annual meeting, the several reports from the county societies shall be delivered to the president of the Ohio State Board of Agriculture; and the said president and delegates shall, at this meeting, elect suitable persons to fill all vacancies in the Ohio State Board of Agriculture. São. 7. And it shall be the duty of said Board to make an annual report to the General As. sembly of the State, embracing the proceedings of the Board for the past year, and an abs rapt of the proceedings of the several agricultural societies, as well as a general view of the cond ffon of agriculture throughout the State, accompanied by such recommendations as they may deem interesting and useful. Sxo. 8. That the act to authorize and encourage the establishment of agricultural societies a this State, and for other purposes therein set forth, pa-sed March twelfth, one thousand eight |
