The Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, Ohio) 1853-1861, 1856-12-18
Louisiana Sugar Plantation.


Our Louisiana correspondent H." has
furnished the American Farmer an interest
ing account Of louisiana S1gar Plantation,
from which we make the following extracts
in relation to the culture Of the sugar cane,
&c =
will take plantation in my vicinity,
"Magnolia," the property of Messrs. DAven-
port L Ford, containing one thousand acres,
about seven hundred Of which are in cultiva.
ton; and one hundred slaves, seventy Of
whom are working han Is, the balance chill
dren. OF the number Of acres in cultivation.
the usual average is two-thirds in sugar cane,
and one-third in corn.
The plantat on is "laid off, as follows -
A main road runs through its centre thirty
feet wide. The land under cultivation is di.
vided "into cuts" thre, acres in length, sep.
arated from each other by "head lands"
eighteen feet wide consequently all these
head Ian Is intersect the main road, and are
exlctly at right angles with it. Running 10
parallel lines with the main road are a series
Of ditches tiree feet deep, and one acre
apart. at every sixth cut we find cross
ditch six feet wide and six feet deep, running
like the head-lands at right angles with the
main road. These cross bitches receive the
drainage water from the parallel bitches, and
empty themselves into two large side canals,
situated on the boundary lines above and be-
low, which carry out the water to tide level,
Thus each series Of cuts drain Simultaneous
ly, and the water from one series does not
run over the o.her, each large cross ditch
Carrying only the water of its sections. These
bitches are ali bridged atthe head-lands.
AS early as possible in January or Feb
ruary, the land is thrown up into beds of sew
en- feet width, furrow is run down the cen
tire, on top the bed, and the cane taken from
the mat'ay, and placed in the furrow length
wise. Thus the cane is planted in rows sew
en- feet apart, the rows running continuous
with each other from one cut to another. Be-
fore it is covered, either by hoe or plow, it is
cut Into short pieces about foot or two in
length, having several eyes on piece. This
is done by hands who go along the burrows
with sharp cane knives. The cane is then
covered, sometimes by hoe, sometimes by
plow. If the land is in good puverized con
diton, by the latter, if not by the former.
The cane is cultivated after it comes ur
similar to corn, with the exception of frs
scraping nearly all the earth off, being vel
plowed and hoed, and kept very clean of gras:
and weeds.
When the cane is ready to roll, which is
ordinarily from first to middle of October, {
certain quantity is cut up by the ground ,ant
set up i'll large shocks or nsatiayS { as they are
called their base covered with earth. Thi,
cane is kept in the matlays as seed until the
next planting in the spring. Two crops o
sugar being obtained, the land is then thor,
oughly broken up with four mules. and Hall.
No. 4 plow, and planted in corn. in rows Sc,
en- feet apart. At the last working of the
corn, COW peas are sown in the furrow on each
side the corn, and covered with plow or hoe
After the corn has been gathered, heavy
roller is passed over the corn stalks and pes
vines. and three or four horse plow turn
the whole under from six to ten inches. Th
land is planted in the fall or spring, in cant
as before stated,
The cron crop on Magnolia is just harvest
ed, and yields about eight thousand flour bar
rels of shucked corn. This corn is all gath
cred and housed in large corn house. Oh
this plantation the plowing is deep,n scratch
ing work done the ditches. head lands, anC
fence corners clean, pnd free from all weeds
an exception to the general rule South
! There is on the plantation. besides the su
gar house (which contains refinery),
blacksmith, wheelwright and cooper shop, ,ex
tensive corn house, and stabling for mules
OF the latter, there are forty FIVE, valued q
$3.50 each. There is also an overseer'
house, children's house, and large hospi
tai. The fencing on this place is all post ant
rail, and is only on the outside of the place, O
: rather there are no cross fences.
All work is done with regular Y, and in a
efficient manner; the maxim being, BE sur
every morning that everything is provide
and planned, to accomplish full days work
and then see that you get it d1ne."
PIows, wagons, harness, and all the tool
are kept in working order, and when not i
use, secured out Of the weather. No sligh
ing of any kind is allowed, nor attempted b
the hands.
The thorough manner in which the planta
ton has been drained, an the deep plowinn
have produced evident improvement in all tn
crops.
The ordinary yield of sugar cane on thi
plantation above described, is an average {
i. 7O00O0 lbs. besides the moasses, from 80
to 900 bbls of which are made. What tn
product will be this year it is utterly imposs
BILE to tell at present.
Hogs are raised on the plantation for fres
pork, and the breeds used are Berkshire an
Essex. Of the latter, there is beautiful i'm
ported SOW, that cannot be surpassed in tn
Union for her points.
Besides the young cattle raised on the plac
a number are bought every fall for the con
sumption of the place.
How To Cook OLD BIRDs.-Some of tn
Calivator family circle may find it desirabl
to use venerable Turkey, Goose or Shangha
for their Christmas dinner, in which case W