The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1869-01-20
Sugar Machinery FOR Beginners.

II il an unfortunate circumstance that the great
staple Of Louisiana is invested with so much
magnifceDce that IL is rarely ever contemplated
except from an exalted pecuniary standpoint.
The small planter, the worker of half a dozen
hands and as many mules, never thinks of attain.
ing TO sugar, or If perchanee a thought of it in-
trudes upon his mind, 1t makes his head swim, and
strsightwsy it is baDished. Men never think of
producing sugar except in connection with
bagasse chimney forty feet square at the base and
stack of pressed brick seventy five feet high,
steam engine Of FURNISHED brass, cane mill of
incredible strength and a train of incredible
length. This deplorable infrmiIy Of vision de-
pryes Louisiana this year of two millions of dol.
lars which her suns and soil should have pro-
duced. She should have made two hundred thou
sand instead of one hundred thousand hogshesds
of sugar.. and she would have made just
that enlarged quantity if the planters of the
State had looked at Ihe business Of sugar
making in the light of existing facts instead
of false and preeonceived notions. This brings US
to the point of noticing the exhibition of sugar
making on q small scale, which is to be observed
at McConnells lumber yard, on Carondeletstreet,
near Tivoli Circle. Messrs. Bodley Co., agents
in this city for plymyer. Norton & Co., manufac-
evsporator, are sffording practical demonstra.
ton of the capacity of these small machines to
make sugar. They have been grinding cane daily
since Monday, and will continue to-day and to-
morrow, if the weather permits. evaporating the
juice and producing sugar of good quality at the
rate of about q hogshead and a half in twenty
hours. The mill is propelled by pair Of mules.
ard supplied with cane by one hand, and the
evsporator is operated by one hand and a fire.
man. The whole performance is SO plain, simple
and essly managed that it excites surprise from
its very simplicity. With this apparatus, costing
but little over three hundred dollars for the mill
and pan, three or four hands, and as many mules
may make fifty or sixty hhds. of sugar ia season.
II is hardly necessary to state further the sdvants
ges or the importance Of these little machines to the
agricultural interests of Louisiana at the present
time: but we cannot refrain from presenting the
subject in practical form. Suppose man has
hundred acres of land, fifty of il in cane, with
eight hands and eight mules to tend his cane,
raises supply of corn, cuts and hauls his wood,
hsryests, hauls and manufactures his cane, pro-
ducing City hogsheads sugar and seventy'fve bar
rels molassts, worth, say, at low estimate, seven
thousand dollars expenses, say two thousand
dollars, leaving, IS a net profit, five thousand
dollars. Is there any business, professional, me
chaDicsl or agricultural which will pay better
return On the outlay! We presume not. Bat this
is not sn exaggerated representation Of the ca
pacities of the sugar business of Louisiana. Il
is true the present price of sugar is high, but it
would be easy 10 show that the chances are more
in favor Of an advance for three years, and per-
haps for q much longer period, than decline.
We have within our soil and latitude a source of
fabulous wealth if we are wise to improve it, aud
realize the boon. - ~