Sentinel of the valley. [volume] (Woodstock, Va) 1841-1848, 1844-04-04

so"'fetieu TIE enemy to retreat. TIN.
act saved New Orleans. The British
ger GRAZ IN consequence Of it delayed III,
attack until the arrival of reinforce
nenf, and in the mean time the Amer
cans received additional forces, and en-
'tene!icd themselves behind breastworks
which the delay gave them opportunit,
TO construct. On the Sth of January
packcnham made his attack. The re.
! suit is known-lEe British army wa:
cut down. with the loss. by Gen. Jack,
| son. ct only six or seven men. Rapidit,
ot decision, and buldness IF execution
being prominent characteristics Of thi.
extraordinary man. saved thousands c
lives and millions Of property.
Cotton and Sugar Pianta'ions-.Mode OF
Nching Sugar-Natchez. Sc.
The following extracts are from a let
ter from the same author, dated at Nat.
chez. Dec. E, lS45:
In Cur passage up the Mississippi we
rived at Natthez, three hundred miles
above New Orleans. The sugar planta
tons of Louisiana are LOCATED :rianc the
river. t" the distance OF one hundred and
lilly mics above the city. and above that
point the cane is not cultivated. There
are IN the state, chiefly along ME river.
about seven hundred plantations, on
which are employed about 10000 ne.
sraes.an'! about 10000 horses and mules.
producing annually about 10000 hogs
heads OF sugar. and about 5O.COO hogs
heads of molasses. of the value ui fiom
eight TO ten millions of dollars.
We had an occasion to stop several
times ON eur passage. which gave me an
Opportunity to visit number of these
plantations. and in no part of the cuu,
try which had ever visited have | seen
any situations superior to thnse below.
aud Tor entv mles above Baton Rou.e.
! bis IS the season Tor .aI hering The crop.
and | noticed III the various fields from
thirty to seve 1tv five hands Together en-.
gagged IN this business. The cane is
planted in rows like corn. and now, at
IT'S growth. it resembles in some degree
a held "t green broom corn. th,ckly plan
ted. as We see IT growing in the North,
being ab"nt eight Or ten feet high. 1t is
cut near the ground; the leaves and tors
are secured. anG tie stocks laid in heaps
along the fields. and is iken gait cred by
hand INTO carts aud carried 10 the sugar.
house. 1h, sugar houses are large brl, K
or wood ba ldlu9s. fitted up with machi-
merry for grinding the stalks. and kettles
and other APPARATUS for boiling the liquor.
aid Cooling the sugar. with suitable pla-
ces tor storing the cane, as it is brou. hit
from the field, AMI the sugar after it is
manufactured. The ma. hin.,y is gen
eraly propelled by steam power, Though
horses and mules are sometimes used. -
The object of the machinery Is TO express
tie juice from the cane stalks, ;nd for
! that purpose, cylinders adapted to lie
purpose. placed laterai,v and running on
sudseons, ale SO arranged that tie stalks
are forced between them and so thor
'nsi ~ crushed. that the JUICE is oti.in-
I'D asAd Tails into iesei,uils rrepaied to
receive it; while the pumsce is. bv the
same process, carried off to place If
deposit. The kettles are set I'M row
tive or six IN rumbe,; hut ct sizes ie.u-
iariy imirishtng from ahou, SIX hun,!r, d
to about three und,el gallons. aud all
over the same nue like the salt kettles
at Syracuse, The largest kettle is filled
with tie juice. and at different stages of
HE boiling. rs tie quantity thereby di.
mipishes. 1t is rem owed sutcessively into
each ct the kettles, shd the first is re.
Plenlsl'eu with new lquor; and from the
last. AT proper tlme. 1t L. removed into
What they call coolers. and the sugar
gathers at the top. and is removed into
casks. and tie moIa.ses at the bottom
which is secured in barrels and hogs.
! heads. The sugar and mnlasseS are parts
} of the same boiling. and are made al the
same time, in the proportion of about 4C
Gallons cf molasses to 1900 pounds Of
sugar. During the season of boiling
which is Only few weeks, the work Is
continued day ard night without inter.
ltuption, ard the labor upon the sugar
taims is regarded as more severe than OF
lie cotton lands. though taking The yeal
together. there is probabl Y not much dit
ference, except that there is here rattle,
more heavy work. The sugar cane pro
duces two. and sometimes three cuttings
n su. cessiye years. from one planting
the land is then ploushed and planse,
with corn for one year, and then it is a
g;ia planted with cane.
\ few planters make sugar and raise
cotton together, but the practice is MOI
common. Above the sugar territory
there are extensive and valuable cottor
plantations. and the quantity of Thu
crop raised in The state annually is ahou
100000 to 300, 900 bales. A sugar plan
tatiun which ! visited will describe I.
you. A fine mansion house stands bach
a little distance from the river, frontin:
upon the water. The grounds arount
are tastelully and handsomely laid out
covered with shrubbery and ornamental
and shade tees. A barn, carriage