New Orleans Republican., 1872-09-01

The I28 l6l hhds as above embrace Ii0,708
hhds brown made by the old process, and
IL 1853 refined and clarified, including first,
Recond and third. The machinery and mo-
tive power employed in its manufacture
comprised 3Q7 steam power engines, BIZ
horse power, 90 portable mills, 9l6 open
kettles, ll4 open pans, and % vacuum
pans. The number of sugar-house8 in
operation was 1928, Of which ll2 are brick
and slate rooted, 352 brick and single
rooted, and 760 built entirely of wood.
The weight OF the crop is set down at
| 6,906, I25 tbs net, against I6S, s, 5J2 tbs
last year. The Same plantations produced
l0,0l99JS gallons Of molasses, against To-
Isl, di9 gallons last year, showing a decrease
Of "a ,972,iG7 lbs OF sugar and 26l tGl gal
ions Of mOlasseB.
The sugar culture presents remarkable
attractions to the agrcHIturst, and not
Withstanling its well known uncertainty,
there ara fuw which have made more salts
factory returns. The result often depends
On the Judgment Of the planter. IF cutting
be deferred too long, freeze may disap
point hi5 hopes; il it be commenced too
early, tba rtue may prove green and poor,
as in the past year, and yield 3cant returns.
In the jrtlgr case. the amount expended
Ter wage. Subsistence, animals and impie
lntnts may be lost; in the latter, the pro
Goods may bB insufficient to refund the
factors advances The precariousness of
the crop il shown by irs annals. In 1884 it
was 100000 hhds, and in the following year
only 30 1000; in 1885 it was 23l, ,427 hhds, and
in 1856 it shrunk to 1896; in 1861, the most
fruitful year on record, it was 1J9, 40 hhds,
and in 1862 sunk TO 223, 153 In 1861 the
productive capacity OF the entire sugar die
triCt was estimated at 300 600 hhds, to pro
duCe which however, would have required
an eX tra0r1nary combination Of favorable
i1jp Npn h
er throughout the year When the extent
of the culture the number of ar-hOuses,
the capital invested, the credit OF planters,
which was equivalent to capital, and the
supply and efficiency Of labor, in that year,
are compared with the present. or with the
probable future, we can not avoid the
conclusion that long time must elapse
before we witness q similar liberal yield.
We haze sufficient sugar lands, arabic
or readily reclaimable from the swainps,
but we need the capital to build sugar
houses, provide implements and animals
and extend fencing-ot itself requiring
much larger outlay than ls generally sup
posed AUD if We had the capital we might
he unable to supply the labor. The general
progress Of the culture is shown by the stats
ties given above, and also BY the extent OF
the crops in the past five years in 1868, No
made 1 ,6+7 hhds; in 1869, S4,255i in
lS69-70, $1,000; in lS70-7l, l4i88l and in
1879. l2S,46i, The growing crCp IS estl-
mated at hardly more than 100000 hhds.
MIR. BOncherean says: The seed cane
Iotted both in wind-rOws and mats, and the
original planting was small Both fall and
sprng. planting partially rotted in the
ground, and, as natural consequence, the
cane fields are very gappy." With favor
able weather, however for the rest Of the
season, and sufficient supply Of labor,
the results may yet prove satisfactory. In
the good old times sugar planting was the
basis Of some Of the largest fortunes in the
South, and may be again. The sugar lands,
moreover, are mostly situated in districts
proverbial Tor their salubrity, with q ge-
nial climate, and fertile sol we'll adapted to
the culture of both fruits aud vegetables,
the former embracing not only the orange
and the fig, as well as other Southern pro-
4ucts, but also many Of those which have
oeen supposed 10 he peculiar to Northern
4autudes, such - the peach, the pear and
me apple and the latter comprising every
variety OF root crops, some Of them in ex
tTaoTdlnary abundance. Many of the old
plantations which were ravaged during the
war 70 such an extent that hardly q trace
OF ther former improvements was left, have
peeh restored and are again productive
but more capital IL wanted to rebuild burnt
sugar housee' furnish new engines and ma