La sentinelle de Thibodaux. [volume] (Thibodaux, La.) 1861-1866, 1865-09-16
THE SUGAR CANE-ITS CULTIVA-
TION IN LOUISIANA.

the sugar cane was first introduced into
this country, a littlesmore than a century
since. Here it has been most successfully
manufactured and, at this day, our su.
gars are acknowledged to be- superior to
any Others. A brief sketch Of the rise and
progress of its cultivation may not be un-
interesting at this time.
An old correspondent-himself n Of
the largest and most experienced sugar
planters in Louisiana-has kindly favored
us with q historical sketch of the intro
duction of sugar cane into this State,
from the pen of Ayequin, a gentleman
well known to many of our old citizens,
and around whose grave cluster many
pleasant memories. 1T appears to have
been published in one Of our papers. As
it win, doubtless, prove interesting to
most of our readers, we condense it.
From this paper it appears that sugar
came was introduced here in 1851, under
the administration of the Marquis de
Vaudreuil, Governor of the Colony of
Louisiana. On the 18th of April of that
year two hundred troops were sent from
France to complete the forces of the col
ony. The transports touched at St.
Domingo, when the Jesuits Of Leogane,
in the Bay Of Port-au-Prince, obtained
leave to send on board, for their branch
establishment In New Orleans, a supply
of can and a few negroes used to its cul-
~tivation and the manufacture of sugar.
These were planted in the spa
cious gardens of the reverend Fathers,
where now stands the First District of
New Orleans. At first their efforts at
either its cultivation or manufacture, were
abortive. They, however, persisted in
the work.
In 1756 Dubreuil, a wealthy planter in
faubourg Marigny, now the Third District,
procured a few plants from the Jesuitss
but he also met with but little success.
In 1894, the Chevalierc de Mama tried
the experiment., on his plantation on the
opposite shore, with more success. In the
following year D~estreham, then Treasurer
Of the King of France in the Colony, and
several other planters put up works below
the city, on the left bank, but with the
same result. The planters were disheart-
ened, and in 1869 the manufacture of
sugar in Louisiana was entirely aban-
doned, and our planters turned their
attention to the cultivation of indigo, cot
ton, tobacco, rice. corn, etc. A few small
gardeners continued the planting OF sugar.
cane in the neighborhood of the city. which
they retailed in the market for the use of
children, or expressed the juice. making
syrup, which they sold in bottles. More
than twenty-five years elapsed before
further efforts were made in it's cultivation.
In 1871, A. Mendez, of this city. pur-
chased the apparatus, land, etcn which
now forms a part of the Olivier Plantation,
at Terre aux Beufs, below the city, and,
nothing daunted, resolved to carry on the
manufacture of sugar. He secured the
services Of NJ. NORM, who had gained some
experience in the manufacture at St.
Domingo. He was more successful, and at
q grand dinner which Don Rendon, then.
Spanish Intendant of Louisiana, gave to
the public authorities of New Orleans, he
exhibited as a curiosity a few small loaves
of refined sugar, the first ever produced
in Louisiana.
In 1892, Etienne Bord, a planter living
a few miles above the city, finding his
indigo crops a failure, determined as. a.
dern,er resort to try the cultivation of
sugar. At length. in 1895, his success
was partial, and in the following year,
under the auspices of MORN, it was rem
dered complete. He was induced to make
further improvements, and essay new
experiments until he fully established this
one of the most productive branches in
Louisiana. i
His success induced many others to
follow his example. Among the earliest
to do so were the Piseros, the Cabarets,
the Reggfos. the Macarty's, and numer-
GUS others, all Of whom we're seminently
successful.
At that time there were but two varie-
ties of cane in Louisiana, the Malabar or
Bengal, and the Otaheite !; these have
disappeared, or nearly so, and have given
place to the purple or red ribbon cane Of
Java, or Batavia. The Dutch introduced
it about the middle of the last century to
st. Eustatius, Curacao, Guina and Sur
imam, whence it spread all over the West
Indies. and over a portion Of the American
continent.
In 1914 an American schooner imported
q few bundles of this cane into Georgia,
and in 1917 about a dozen of these plants
were brought to this city by John Jos.
Coiron, who planted them in his garden
at. Terre aux Beufs. Meeting with the
most gratifying success in their c%ultiva-
ton, Mr.. Coiron, in 1925, imported q sloop