The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1828-05-01
AGRICULTURE.
(from the Selma Courier
SIfLAR
Cory ola letter addressed toRober' Y. H1rue
Lsq. Of Jdck'0n. jiebano.

Cory Of a leter addressed toRobsri Y. H1rue I,
Lsq. Of Jack'On. jiabaHo.
Denr Sir returned last nlght from AHaka-
pas, after an absence since early III Nav last,
west OF the Mississippi, for Arkansas and Lnnisi-
ana. Having passed some time III the house of
a friend and relaiiyn in Attakapas, had the
best opportunity Of seemg the process Of manu-
featuring sugar. aud the cultivation OF the cane.
and was much delighted With il those who are
engaged IN this business ~rs thriving and the
value u fleir lands constantly improving. IN
confirmation u this there have brcn 81 Aifaka-
pas three hundred addnona! sugar works erect
ed From those circumstances. determined
TO advise NY friends and acquaiftaners aud en-.
deavonr 10 urge them 10 the culture OF the sugar
cane. and thar without DELAY. Had | not heard
you were from home ! should have called on
you to-day As yon lave fine lands for the lIu-
sn-sS, am sue You will profit by information
on the snbjert. II j. oulY necessary To have cor
rect information, 10 Indnce every one living
south OF aunde 81. who have good lands OF
who can ger them, Ia make sugar The bust
ness is healthy The abour FAR less than ~ the rot
ton crop, aud can be 5 easily cultivated "a corn
after II planted. The crop il finished early
IN June, like corn and you hayr lrsule during
the heal Of summer aud I'LL October or No
veiEber. when they begin 10 cut, Grind aud bot.
/ MS ldSt lhkts IDut weeks or InDif, anu IS icW-
ed rather as froiic desired by the hands than
dreaded. There Is great error ia the public
opinion. where the unacqualnied, thai II
takes large capital aud a great number Of
hands 10 make sugar. man last scason in
Laiourche, with the assistance Of two little sons
ten and e,cvcn years Of age, and a negro girl n
bout the same age, made sugar which he sold for
$500 clear OF all expenses but, as is custom
arv. there are some help 10 cut grind aud boil
(Which has 10 be- carried on all at once to keep
the juice from souring,) and the uoassrs more
than paid expenses. The same man made the
rollers To grind, of lire oat, aad his whole e1-
penese. besides the kettles. did not exceed thirty
dollars.
Two brothers, this season, in Attahapas. with
their own labpur, lbeing opposed to slave abour,
made 20 acres OF creole cane, which will make
81 or 10 hogsheads OF sugar They WIRE en-
nrrly done grinding when left there aud I'M
ders'and thu, will o, rpay f5r help TO harvest,
with the moIasscs. Their profit " i'll amount at
least TO $500. But these are particular cases
one hand can and does. III ordinary cases. cult
vate four acres with ease, besides com and other
neceNsaricS. One acre of good creole cane will
make two hogsheads Of sugar % lONO his each
which Mt cents PER H.. is otth SIIO -Four
acres, 800 lbs -56O dollars From the best
information could get 5GO dollar, to the hand
Is the common product. A. tnthe success of the
cane in This part. il is beyond doubt saw
c ne OF three kinds. viz The Eibhand, the Gre
OIL aud the Owhyhe we'll mafured in Sapt. nj
Judge BlNs, IN OnaChita, il. latitude 329 80.
II has matured wherever nied soutA of latitude
31 from South Carolina 10 Louisiana Since
Al THIS place have seen lair sample of the III
band cane on the farm of Samuel B. Shields,
Esq. ON the bank Of the Tdmbrckbe. within fifty
PAGES Of the federal road from Washington TO
View Orleans. The seed or stalk from which
lis cane grew. Mr.. Shields tells me were Sent
L hm by his now deceased brother Thomas
shields, from New Orleans. There mere three
flaur barrels Of the slips Of the sccd cane IL
was planted on the 18th OF March las-fom
m,lulormaion too shallow and too thick or
COST. The ground vas cleared in 1912, and
never MANFRED; was broken up and pl,nted la |
drills cane laid lateraliv; after planting il was
not plonghed, but CHOPPED over twice. The cane |
wa sufficiently matnred 10 cut eallv in No,em.
brr NJ Shields tells me he has counted aud |
cut as many fourteen stalks from one single |
eye, OF ONT, and from ten 10 elghireo Joints on |
each stalk. From tbc prod lct Of this n'le spot.
hr has planted at least two acres From the IA.
commonly warm weather, Il Is row coming up |
that Is, sprouts from the stubble or r1ia0n, as |
The sugar planters call H. ! have seen few |
stalks OF this cane. that are within few PAGES /
from Hhrnce write. which left standing |
10 see the effect which Frost might have on it, |
a,d 10 gre 10 frictms. have examined it close
", aud brit se il equal to any rbband caue e
Yer saw IL Louisiana.
The Iihband cane is sold this season nj Alta
kapaS, ur seed, as it stands ia the field AT 200 |
dolls per acrr. The ribband cane is greatly |
preferred, every where. to the creole or any o.
ihcr kind l. is lhrgPr, and makes from three
hoo .bp
aud natures at least month earlier II is |
smooth. " thout those ANNOYING prcltrS on the |
leaves Of the creole cane, aud Is not injured 80
much rs the latter, by being blown down nv
storms as il will ripen after ii has fallen on the
ground All are irving 10 get the iibhand care ior
seed. rs believe this 10 be a most important
subject, and the culture 10 be most likely To pro-
mote thu interest and prosperity OF the southern
part Of the United States. and is little under
stood | give such details ofthe uIturc aud man
uflctufe of sugar, as my opportunity aud time
will permit
The cane should he planted in n rich, drv
soil such as where the common cane grows III
the s" IS wet, or subject Ia inund ,tpn il .
should be- lcyecd and dnched, 10 keep il DIV. ri
TIN land has been cultivated in cnrn or cotton
4 rrar or TWO, the better though worn Out hand /
i not good. II l. ploughed deep IN The fall OF /
winter aud prepared rs fn conon-dril> three
or tour tecr apart some plant the cane as they |
cut il n the fall. aud cover it deep t>iN or |
eight incheS) and remove the earth in the
spring on in February. b"toie i comes up most |
persons prefer February. Thc SEED cane i, |
cut before frost. ihe a. are ca Nv injured |
by frost. they are pat mp in a KIND OF stack, |
with the bats oftbe stalks to the ground and
III tops leaning 'ogcther till it spreads twenty |
OF thirty feet wide. aud the antsdes are cover |
ed with earth as tar as thc stalks are naked OF
leaves. When il Is planted. fIlr stalks are laid
sln"Iy along the inrrow, and capped IS far as
the leaves extend beyond the Joint. TIE stalks
are ab nj thIee feet long. of which 20 viii psnt
n row across an acre. AND 70 drills to the acre IS .
1900 stalks to the acre. When ICED is scarce
and you wish To mise seed oal , il is planted 7
further apart, Give or six tect.) Sometimes
they cut the stalks in two hetw zen each ioiuf