Southern sentinel. [volume] (Plaquemine, Parish of Iberville [La.]) 1848-1858, 1855-08-25
sANIANEA,
cosr OF RAISING SUGAR.

The Ndt0ndI lHtetttS eHceT, puTPoTtnS " s"'
some facts in relation to the comparative pro-
ductiveness, cost Of cultivation and proht Q
the two great Southern s~taples--Cotton anc
Sugar. The facts in reference to Cotton were
briefly stated, and in the main correct, but tn
remarks of the writer upon the other com
modify, Sugar, were SO palpably wrong. and
even absurd, that we intended accompanying
the article with appropriate comments. 1t was
however, put in the handa1f the %compositors
with other selected mattz Md the comments
were forgotten.
Tho following paragraph exhibits the ignor'
ance of the writer upon a subject upon which
he essays to give instruction to the public
through the medium Of one of the leading
journals of the country. If these preposterous
statements are not the results Of ignorance,
they have been made with a premeditated de-
sign to impair the welfare and prosperity of
a large and respectable portion of our citizens,
who are engaged in the culture of one of the
most useful and valuable products Of the
South:
"Sugar.cane has from six to eight feet length
of stalk containing saccharIue matter. From
eight to ten thousand pounds of sugar have
been produced to the acre. A the cost OF five
cents a pound to raise the cane and manufac-
lure sugar, with nine thousand pounds to the
acre, a twenty acre field would Weld the enor>
NOUS profit Of eighteen hundred dollars"
Although The errors in the above paragraph
are so potent that they will not escape the at.
,ention Of the less informed of our readers, we
had designed addidt Sword or two upon the
gross absurdity Of Them Had numerals been
used instead of words TO express measure,
blame at once upon the types; but the writer
can use no such evasion as an escape he stands
convicted, upon the most charitable cons,ruc-
ton, as an ignoramus.
A writer who halls from the Parish Of st.
Mary's in this State, has taken the task upon
himself to poin, out tIlese errors, which he has
done most effestuaiiy. He writes from expert
mental knowledge, and disposes in a summary
way the. blunders of lIeauthor of the essay on
the "Cost Of Raising Sugar" Addressing
limse.fto the ~stationaa LleHigencer, our friend,
who writes over lac signature of "a Sugar
Planter gives the following interesting details,
which are true and reliable.
SagarscaAs., in Louisiana, When cut and
brought tdsftie mill For the purpose OF being
greaad, is rarely more than six feet in length.
S~5uietimesi 1t reaches eigl. feet, but very sci,
dom. II may average three aud II half 10 fsH
feet, III favorable seasons the yield per acre
hkingS tie RIote crop through, is OH IA, average
about one and . half liogshsads. or about Doe
10 i750pounds. There may be choice por-
tons Ola crop Of cane Which vii! yield rs
mach as ~ 0 and a Ealf togsiicads 10 the acre;
bat tItefr are Others also which yield frequently
only saif G !.ogshead, some, indeed, that weld
less, the average Being as | have stated, in a
Jtr0rabe season and will good land. new
pltEiation, reccnlly cleared, the soil fresh aud
very fertile, AID in a SEASON not pre,patureiy |
visited by frost, may do rather better than this, |
but hpi much IN any case. Such 4 yield AS your
co respondent describes was never heard ofnor
dreamed Of except by himself. lie niast have
visited Brohdignag. +
4. Again, to show thai he can state errors every
way, your correspondent snys, sat the cost OF
tire'cents a pound, TO rais6scane and manufac.
lure Su.df, Will Ills deSHuieu spICUuCtiOU vi /
'Irine thousand pounds to the acre, a twenty
acre field would yield the enormous profit OF
$500" Why, every one knows that for many
years past, until within a month or two, The
price of sugar in the NortIiefn markets has
not been higher than fee cents, not generally
so high; andif the cost Of raising and manu-
featuring We're five cenis, and the cost Of trans-
portation to market and cost of sale be SUI
psradded, where, ! would ask, should we be!
Where probably your correspondent would
wish us all to BE-, namely, OF the dockets of
the courts Us ~insolvent debtors. His ~calcula-
ton is not only erroneous, but absurd likewise.
No. lhc yield Is as Ihaye stated. The price is
known, from price current regularly Published,
to be as | have represented, and the profits of
the pursuit are less perhaps than those Of Hny
other sindustria calling in the United States fe
quiring such an outlay of capital, such heavy
expenses, and encountering such constantly re-
curing risks and vicissitudes attendant on an
unsuitable climate; and your correspondent and
your readers may be assured that the best we
have been able to do Of late wears has been 10
provlde for the support Of our families, tbs
comfort of our slaves, and the education Of our
children. Those who are much in debt have
Nstrogaded, and are likely to continue to do SO
unless the price improves. III
Your correspondent has either witten bis
'afticle in ignorance of his subject, or | must
suppose his object TO- be, by this means, to OBJ.
tain some legislation by Congress hostile to
the sugar interests, already sufficiently depress
sed. A SUGAR PEANTER. I
Parish Of 81 Mary, La, July 90, 1855.
RepeatedsA ats have been made, particular. |.
y in the Northern States, to convey the ikss1