Thibodaux minerva. [volume] (Thibodaux, La.) 18??-1858, 1855-08-18
Cost of Raising Sugar.

.Nessrs. Editor Of the Nationm MteNiye"cer -
l have observed with surprise the following,
copied from your valuable paper going the
rounds of the public journals of the country.
Your correspondent is either grossly mised
himself or he is seeking to mislead others from
some sinister desi On against the prosperity of
those who produce one of the most important
and valuable staples of the Gulf Coast. Please
allow me the opportunity to correct his mis-
statement. The following is an extract from
the article | refer to. copied into the New Or
leans Bulletin from the lntellgencer:
"THE GULF STATES UNION THE VALLEY OF THE
MssIssPPFrom the lower edge of ice the Gulf to
the Southern shores portion OF earth is than tro
Sugar-cane has ON SIX to eight feet length Of stalk
containing saccharne matter From eight to ten thousand
pounds of sugar have been produced to the
cost cents pound to manufacture
sugar, with nine thousand pounds to the
field would yield the profit of eighteen hundred
dollars'
Sugar-cane, in Louisiana, when cut and
brought to the mill for the purpose of being
ground, is rarely more than six feet in length.
Sometimes it reaches eight feet, but very
seldom. 1t may average three and half to
four feet. In favorable seasons the yield per
acre, taking the vhole crop through, is on an
average about one and half hogshead, or
about 800 to $50 pounds. There may be
choice portions of crop of cane which will
yield as much as two and half hOgsheads to
the acre; but there are others also which yield
frequently as little as a half hogshead some
indeed, that yield less, the average being as
have stated, in favorable season and with good
land. new plantation, recently cleared, the
soil fresh and very fertile, and in season not
prematurely visited by frost, may do rather
better than this, but not much in any case
Such yield as your correspondent describes
Was never heard of nor dreamed of except by
oh He CT hayo rod n
Again, to show that he can state errors every
way, your correspondent says cat the cost of
five cents pound to raise cane and manu-
facture sugar." with his assumed production of
nine thousand pounds to the acre, twenty
acre field would yield the enormous profit of
ST, 800" Why, every one knows that for many
years past until within month or two, the
price of sugar in the Northern markets has not
been higher than fire cents, not generally so
high; and if the cost Of raising and manu-
featuring were fre cents, and the cost of trans
portation to market and cost of sale be super
added, where, | would ask, should we be :?
Where probably your correspondent would wish
US all to be, namely. on the dockets of the
courts as insolvent debtors His calculation is
not only erroneous, but absurd likewise No;
the yield is as I have stated The price is
known, from prices current regularly published,
to be as have represented, and the profits of
the pursuit are less perhaps than those of any
other industrial calling in the United States
requiring such an outlay of capital, such heavy
expenses, and encountering such constantly re-
curing risks and vicissitudes attendant on
an unsuitable climate and your CORES
pondent and your readers may be assured that
the best we have been able to do of late years
has been to provide for the support of our
families, the comfort of our slaves, and the
education of our children. Those who are
much in debt have refrigerated, and are likely
to continue to do so unless the price improves
Your correspondent has either written his
article in ignorance of his subject, or must
suppose his object to be, by this means. to
obtain some Legislation by Congress hostile to
the sugar interest, already sufficiently de-
pressed. A SUGAR PLANTER
Parish of St. Mary, La, July 90 1855.