The Evening Star THURSDAY, OCTOBER 26, 1871.

Evening Star, Volume IX, Issue 2712, 26 October 1871, Page 2

The Evening Star THURSDAY, OCTOBER 26, 1871.

During "Mr Vogel’s Journey across America he was mindful to obtain such practical knowledge concerning industrial products as might be useful in establishing varieties of manufacture amongst us. With this object in view he gave attention to the substitutes for the sugar cane utilised in the United States, under the idea that they might be profitably cultivated in New

Zealand; and, in the "Memorandum t “of action, taken in accordance with ( “ the resolutions of the Joint Com- ] “ mittee ” for both Houses last year, 1 he gives the result of his inquiries, 1 which was communicated in various 1 memoranda addressed to Dr Hector, , and through him presented to the ■ Colonial Secretary. We are doubtful whether any of these substitutes for the sugar-cane could be advantageously cultivated in New Zealand —at least, in the present condition of the Colony. It is quite probable that the soil and climate may be favorable to the growth of the Sugar Beet; and possibly the Sorghum Saccharatum may be grown in the Northern part of the North Island, but with sugar producing colonies so near as Queensland, New South Wales, and probably at no distant date, Fiji, the question really arises whether we cannot employ labor and capital more profitably in manufacturing articles of exchange, than in devoting our energies to the creation of doubtfully payable industries. Mr Vogel’s first paper relates to the Sorghum, which appears to have been cultivated in Illinois and the neighbouring States for some ten or eleven years past. Mr Vogel says: “From all I can learn “it is very doubtful how far beet- “ sugar cultivation has been a success “ here ; but everybody seems to agree “ that the cultivation of sorghum has “ been a success—that for cattle- “ feeding the thing is unequalled ; and “ from two varieties you can, with “ proper management, be sure of ob- “ taining sugar.” The attention of the Australasian Colonies is not drawn to the value of the sorgho plants for the first time. Some sixteen years ago it was introduced into Victoria as an ex- , periment; but whether or not it has been found advantageous in any industrial sense, we arc unable to say. f In all probability but very few farmers , or graziers have thought it worth eul--5 tivating artificial food for cattle where I population is so scanty compared with food, and where there are millions of i acres of land available for feeding stock on the natural grasses: and as £ for growing it for its sugar, as any profit derivable from the process de- . pends upon the utilization of the vegetable remnant after the sugar is extracted, the same reasons that prevent sorghum cultivation for feeding stock 1 are valid against its profitable culture for production of sugar. But there are omissions in Mr Vogel’s report that are important in estimating the probabilities of success. The first is ■ the climate of Illinois. This must be ninth warmer than that of Southern New Zealand, as the boundaries, north f and south of Illinois, are 42° 30' and 37°. 1 There is on the whole very little variety * in the elevation of laud in that State. It has been estimated that every part of it is included between the elevations ! of 400 and 1000 feet above the sea I level. The greater part ,of the country is one vast plain sloping to the southwest. Occasionally, in winter, severe cold has been experienced in some parts of the State, but the mean temperature - is about 53 o, Faliv. The sorghum is an Asiatic grass indigenous in the tropical 5 regions, and grows very tall with a . succulent stem. There are several f varieties of it, the largest of which produces small cereal grains, often known as Indian millet. The sorghum saccharatum does not require so great a degree of heat as the other varieties, 5 but is cultivated during the rainy and i cold seasons, on land too high for the ’ growth of rice, chiefly for its stalks and straw, which are used as fodder for cattle. It may bo concluded that where maize can bo grown as in Illinois, and arrives at perfection, the sorghum ! may be cultivated to advantage, but although as an exotic the sorghum T might be made to grow, or even in \ exceptional seasons, a fair crop might ■ be obtained, our climate forbids experiments on a large scale, especially as there are uses to which the soil can with greater certainty be applied in the production of articles for consumption and manufacture, for which it and the climate are well adapted. In Illinois, the difficulty of obtaining a supply of sugar during the war gave an impetus to its manufacture from . sorghum. It does not appear from the . description to be a very palatable article. The Northern .States now seem . to neglect its use, as the sugar and syrup from the South arc again available, and are preferred both on account of quality and price.