Weekly Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1853-1861, 1856-12-11
sugar Cane cuttinr.-The s7S 600 Appropli.

Sugar Cane Cuttiugs-The @T5 900 Appropii.
alton
The journal, Of this city, following in the
wake Of the New York Tribune, inflicted
upon its readers, some days since, fabulous
account Of the misdoiog, of the Pierce al
in divertiag the $4,000 srpro-
priated by Congress for agricultural purposes,
from its legitimate objects for the benefit Of
a few sugar planters Of Louisiana. The Jour
ma, which has, on more than one OCCASION,
given the public to understand that it is most
well posted up on all matters
political, historical, scientific and ethical. made
a display Of its knowledge in reference to
ibis particular subject which must have i'm.
pressed its readers with the idea that there
could be no possibility Of It's being mistaken.
Ia fact. the editor himself, no doubt, thought
that as long as he confined himself to the
path marked out by the New York Tribune,
he was perfectly safe. There could be
no possible danger of his getting lost, as
long IS he could keep in his eye the
familiar iorm OF the Immaculate Greeley.
But it So ems that both leader and follower
were off the track. Neither OF them was
posted up-neither talked by the book. The
ridiculous figure cut by the principal in his
ignorant attack upon the Commissioner
of the Patent Office, became ludicrOusly fan
tas,ical in the humble imitator of the Jour
nal. If he will take the trouble to inform
expect to witness slight modification of the
tone of confidence in which he undertook to
administer little wholesome reproof 10 the
officials ct Washington. As source from
which to CLEAN the information Of which he
ought to have taken care to possess himself
before making the subject matter of such
sharp comment, we refer him to the "Indi-
ana Farmer Of Dec. LIST, published and edit
ed by those of a like political faith with him
SELF
We give portion of the article of the
Farmer" as well for the general interest
which it possesses, as for the purpose of con-
vincing our sometimes over confident neigh
Dor of the Journal that tbs not an impossi-
BILE thing for him to be in error.
After quoting from the New York Tribune
the article reproduced by the Journal, the
Farmer says:
We find the above in the New York Tri-
bune of late date. An undue importance,
it seems to us, has been given to this propo-
stiOn for renewing the cane cuttings OF the
sugar growing portion of the country. A
very few years ago, the annual product of SUI
gar made in the Southwestern States was
from 100000 to 10000 hogsheads. The
last years crop, it is said. will not exceed
10000 hogsheads. This decline is to be
attributed almost entirely to the deterioration
or actual dying out of the sugar cane. The
effect of which has been to Increase the
price of sugar to almost double what it for
merly was. Hundreds of private citizens
sent orders to Cuba and elsewhere, in the
usual manner of doing business, for those
cuttings of the cane. The orders have been
filled, but from want of knowledge as to
the proper manner of putting them up, they
rOlted before they reached New Orleans, and
would not grow. So many eff
forts had proven failures, that planters were
turning their attention to other and more GER
tain and more profitable crops. Every por-
ton of the country, North and South, has
been compelled to pay an increased price for
this indispensable article to every table.
Every person in the country is interested in
an increased production of sugar. Five mil
lions of dollars would not cover the increased
cost of the sugar used in the Northern States
during the past few years owing to the fail
ure of the cuttings which it is now proposed
to supply, by small expenditure of the pub
lie money.
There seems to be very general misap-
prehension as to the amount designed for
this purpose. The appropriation bill pro-
vides-
For the collection of agricultural stats
tics, investigations for promoting agriculture
and rural economy, and the procurement aud
distribution of cuttings and seeds, to be ex-
pended under the direction of the commits
sioner of patents, seventy-fse thousand
dollars"
This appropriation is not for sugar cuttings
aloe but, upon the contrary, the procure
meut of them is but one of the smallest
items contemplated in the appropriation. A
vessel, which had no other special
service, and which necessity required at all
times to be ready for sea, fully manned, and
which, if not thus employed, would perhaps
be out on cruise simply TO keep it in order
and the crew employed, has been dispatched
to the South-perhaps Brazil-with an
agent, scientifically and practically qualified
to select the best quality Of cane cuttings, put
them up in sand in such manner as to pre-
serve their vitality-to see that they are
kept moist with pure rain water, &c.
The cuttings thus procured are to be dis
trbuted in small quantities to the most care
full and enterprising planters throughout the
sugar growing region. The entire cost of the
enterprise is not expected to exceed $4,000.
The remainder of the appropriation should,
and is expected TO be expended to encourage
as far as possible every other department of
agriculture and rural economy.
We might enumerate ten thousand items
to which Investigations might be profitably
extended, but the small amount appropriat-
ed viii confne the operations of the beareau
to few of the more important branches of
agriculture. Had the entire SIS, 900 been APP
propriated to the procurement of sugar cane
cuttings, it would have been a just subject of
but as so small a sum will be ex-
pended in that way, we think it right and
proper.
Important-A Key to Financial Mystery.
The New York Register, of last Friday,
says:
Only few days since, modern chemist
took a thousand dollars in gold eagles and
put them through the crucible; the next day
ne deposited the bullion in the assay Office,
and the day after received "bar" marked
$1,000.
The plain English of this is" Some 9TH
er metallic substance can be combined with
gold, aud such combination will stand the
ASSAY tests of our mints." The secret or
science Of doing this was discovered ia
France, aud communicated to this country
early last summer. The case cited above is
only one of repeated experiments made,