MAIZE AND SORGHUM SUGAR.
(TO THE EDITOR OF THE "SPECTATOR']
Sra,—Your references to the Report of Mr. Drummond, Secretary to her Majesty's Legation at Washington, on sugar-production in the United States, have drawn public attention to that some- what sensational document. The report is founded upon infor- mation derived from General Le Duo, Director of the United States Department of Agriculture, and it leads the world to expect that the United States will not only soon be able to produce the 700,000 tons necessary for home consumption, but also to export largely. This sugar is apparently to come from maize-stalks and the well-known sorghum. But will you allow me to point out how absurd it is to expect that sorghum or maize-stalks, containing much less saccharine matter than the cane, can ever seriously rival the cane in the production of sugar? No doubt a certain amount of sugar could be obtained from such materials, as a laboratory experiment, but never as a profitable article of commerce. Why, Sir, it is extremely doubtful whether even the beet-root, which contains a great deal more saccharine matter than the maize or sorghum, could be profitably cultivated, were it not for the excessive subsidies granted to its producers by their respective Govern- ments. Even the residue of the sugar-cane after the juice is expressed, which is used only for fuel, would probably be as good a material from which to extract sugar as the new sub- stances mentioned in the report of Mr. Drummond. The analysis of the juice given by Mr. Drummond is quite sufficient to satisfy any practical mind that the prophecies he has in- dulged in with regard to maize and sorghum, will be as far from realisation as have been the very similar predictions, made some thirty years ago, in reference to maple-sugar.—I am, Sir, &c., WEST INDIAN.
[Our correspondent is an authority, so we print his letter, but his statement is a mere denial of facts which great American experts believe to be true.—En. Spectator.]
Previous page
