Baton Rouge tri-weekly gazette & comet. [volume] (Baton Rouge, La.) 1865-18??, 1868-06-23
THE CONSUMPTION OF SUGAR.

THE CONSUMPTION OF SUGAR.
Whatever can be gathered from
the repertory Of information bearing
upon the above subject, cannot fail
Of eliciting more than ordinary at
tention from the many in our State
who are preparing to enter more
largely upon the manufacture of
sugar.
Viewing the following statistics
from the New York Produce Mar
kets Review, in the light simply of a
politico-economical Importance, they
are worthy Of general consideration.
They produce, observes the New
York Bulletin, an irrefutable evil
dence Of the well-being Of different
classes Of populations, and next in
Importance to breadstuffs and wines
and spirituous liquors we must class
the consumption of sugar as denoting
the increase in wealth Of COM
munity.
Roughly dividing the nations
into classes, the interesting fact is
shown that Great Britain and her
colonies, with the United States, are
the most important sugar consumers,
as they use 1,420,000 tons per an
mum, or lbs, 41.40 per head. France,
Italy, Spain, Belgium, Portugal and
Switzerland use 100000 tons per
annum, or lbs, 1884 per head. The
third on the list is the great leu
tonic race, but with the great i'm
petus given to its national life and
the much greater scope for enterprise
and commerce. Germany, with its
domestic social life will soon rise in
the sugar scale. The Zollverein,
Austria, Holland, the Hanseatic
League and Denmark consume
100000 tons per annum, or lbs, 7.30
per head. Last comes Russia, Po-
land, Turkey and Greece, and the
deliveries in these countries amount
only to $4,000 tons, or lbs, $50
per head.
The quantity Of sugar used in the
rich countries depends upon it's price,
and the low rates of the last few
years have given an extraordinary
stimulus to the deliveries. What
effect the reduction of stocks may
have upon prices we cannot Of course
predict, but we certainly do not an
ticipate that the prices prevailing
before the American war will ever be
kept up again for any length of time.
The sources Of supply at present
worked are SO numerous, the cultiva-
ton of sugar can be so indefinitely
extended, and even at the late and
present low rates is so remunerative,
that all possible demands can be
met; and, as the wealth of civilized
communities increases, we anticipate
progressive increase in the use of
sugar. In fact, the figures that we
consider SO large at present, will, if
the late rates Of progress be main.
tanned, soon be considered utterly
insignificant. In round numbers, the
British consumption for 1867 may
be estimated at 625 900 tons. On
the scale of New South Wales it
would amount to 100000 tons per
annum. The total consumption Of
the 313,OOO,0OO souls, from whom
returns can be obtained, is 2,035,O0O
tons per annum, or Is pounds per
head. On the British scale of con-
sumption it would amount to $780,
600 tons; on the New South Wales
scale to IL 100000 tons; the grow
ers of sugar, therefore, need have no
fear of extending cultivation too far"
On a future occasion, adds the |
New York Bulletin, we shall enter
more fully on the consumption Of
sugar in the United States, and on
the enormous sources ci wealth, as
yet but scantily developed, that at
tend the cultivation Of the sugar-cane
and and beet root, according to the
latest discoveries Of chemical and
science.
u An absurd story, started by
an itinerant temperance lecturer, has
been going the rounds Of the country
newspapers, to the effect that the In
sbriate Asylum, at Binghampton, in