M'arthur Democrat. (McArthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1853-1865, 1857-02-26
From the Washington Globe
Sugar aud the Sugar-Cane.

lsugar, which has nearly doubled with
IN the last ten years, has lately attract
ed much attention. This increase il
attributable to various causes to thu
greater uso of sugar, the decrease o
the production in the British West In.
dies, the opening Of many new mark
cts, and the deterioration ofthe Louis.
lana sugar.cane. The West India
cane grows from the root, which re.
mainsi in the ground; the Chinese cane
from the seed; and the Louisiana cane
from cuttings, to supply which about
a fourth Of each crop must be reserv,
ed. Such reproduction, year after year,
has resulted in impairing the Louisi-
ana cane, and in the consequent de-
crease Of its product. 1t has hereto,
fore become important either to rein
vigorate this cane or to find a substi-
tutc for it.
The people Of the United States,
who are the largest consumers Of tea
and coffee, arc also the largest consul
mers ofsugar, ofwhiCh they use annu-
ally more than eight hundred millions
of pounds, Or an average of about 80
pounds each, proportionally a larger
amount than is used in any other
country, the average annual amount
consumed by each person in Great
Britain being 25 pounds ; in Belgium,
IS; in Holland, II ; in France, s; in
Denmark, G; in Sweden, 4 and in
Russia, q, It is estimated that in
the year 1853, 5,OO0,0 pounds of
cane and maple sugar were made in
the United States, Of which Louisiana
produced 449324'hogsheadS, or about
405,15G,OO0 pounds. In 1855, the
Louisiana crop had fallen to 23l APT
hogsheads, but little more than half
the crop of 1858. The total amount
Of foreign sugar imported into the U.
States in 1855, was SS2,7S6 hogs.
heads, of 1900 pounds each, or 459,-
$4,000 pounds.
1t seems to be conceded that the
maple and the beet are entirely insult,
ticient 20 supply the constantly in.
crcasing demand for sugar. The en-
tire amount of maple sugar made in
the United States in 1850, was 3D.
253.436 lbs. In France, in 1910,
100000 pounds of sugar, or about
the ti~ity-eighths the amount there con-
sumed, were produced from the beet.
In 1858, the product amounted to
1875, $50, 100 pounds Z; but it is now
steadily decreasing, in consequence
of the use of the beet for brandy, a far
more profitable article Of trade. The
admitted failure Of beet culture, in
the United States, though repeatedly
necessitates a resort to
some other means ofsupply.
The attention of the Government
has been directed to the evident de-
crease in the product of the southern
sugar plantations and in order to
stock them anew, and restore their
original productiyeness, it has sent
an agent in the bark Release to Brit.
ish Guiana, to procure a fresh supply
of good sugar-cane cuttings, to be dis
tributed by the Agricultural bureau Of
the Patent Office, for that purpose.
Meanwhile, this bureau is engaged in
distributing to members of Congress
and others, for culture throughout the
country, the seed Of the 8O,gO SuChre,
or Chinese sugar-cane, introduced
from France by Mr.. d. j. Browne,
the chief Of the bureau, and seeming
ly destined to prove Of the greatest
value as a complete substitute for oy-
cry other known saccharine plant.
This plant, which, in the opinion Of
many, will s~upercede the old cane in
the south, and which can be cultiva-
ted at least as far North as New York,
for the production of sugar, and per-
haps everywhere in the North for fod-
der and other purposes, is very SINH
lar in appearance and growth to the
Indian corn. Its juice produces su-
gar, molasses, alcohol, and a ferment.
ed drink like cider, and, when set with
alum, makes a permanent red dye
lis fbres and husks make good paper,
while the seed possesses fattening
properties like. rice, and can be used
as food for cattle, and the leaves make
tho best of fodder. Such is the test.
mony of all the prominent agricultu.
ralists throughout the Union who have
already cultivated it. 1t thus seems
to be sort Of a universal plant-an agri.
cultural catholicon. Even if the diff
Guilty experienced in the capitalization
OF sugar from its juice should prove
in~superable, SO as to make it compar,
atively valueles for the production Of
sugar, it will be a very profitable farm
ing product for feeding cattle, in all
parts Of the United States.
We quote the following brief hints,
given by Mr.. j. L. g. Hyde, for the
use OF those who propose to cultivate
the S0rgho:
1. Select a warm and dry soil, such
as you would select for Indian corn.
2. Prenare Your ground precisely