The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1873-09-06
EXTRAORDINARY DISCOVERY CON.
CERNING SUGAR.
We extract the following from the
London Produce Market RepOrter:

AAohttcA AIotuCo Nuui1Act 1SCpOitcf:
The startling announcement is made
in the Fabricants de Sucrc, on the au-
thority of tho Assemble Rationale,
that NJ. Jouglet, an engineer, has dis
covered means of making sugar arti-
ficially; that Is, by combination Of
chemical substances, instead of by OK
chemical sugar can, it is said, be made
at 4 cost Of 5 francs per 100 kilos, or say
2 shillings per cwt. The process is Mt
present said to be u secret, but it consists
generally in putting sssone common
substances together, of which the Gle
ments, divided according to the laws of
chemical affinity, produce in coming
together again q sugar altogether SINH
lar to that from the cane or beet root"
We confinc ourselves to n registration
OF the reported facts, simply adding
that M. JOuglet appears to be n we'll
known man and an occasional contrib
utOr to the Fabricants dc Sucre, and
that he has promised M. bureau, the
editor of that paper, to allow him to
taste the chemical sugar. The state
nent is therefore, however incredible
it may seem, not likely to be altogether
unfOunded. Tho diamond can be pro-
ducetl by artificial means, and there are
many other similar facts which arc far
more surprising than the chemical
manufacture of sugar would be.
Apart from tho extraordinary ccOno-
mical changes which tho chemical
manufacture of sugar alluded to above,
would entail, it would put n stop to
ono OF tho oldest industries practiced OH
tho globe, "In India there grows Il
reed which yields honey without bees"
Such was tho concise report made to
Alexander the Great by his admiral,
who had just returned from exploring
Il portion of tho coast Of India. The
prophet jeremiah also speaks of ssthc
sweet cane from IL far country" and
other ancient authors mention II kind
of honey obtained from reeds and valu-
able in the cure of several diseases.
The sugar canc, which is no doubt al
ludcd to by all these authorities, was
cultivated both in China and India for
centuries before 1t was known in Eu-
rope. The preparation of sugar, which
was extensively carried on in both those
countries, was, however, kept Il secret
from other nations, but Il lucrative COM
mcrcc meanwhile sprang up in that
article with Arabia and Palestine.
We have this on the authority Of the
Crusaders, who often refreshed them
selves with tho juice from tho cane
when wearicd with their toilsome
marches over the burning plains of
Syria. These reeds were called "Zucra,"
from which term we derive our name
of sugar. BY these noble worriors the
plant was made known in Spain, Por-
tugal, and several Islands of the Mctlf-
tcrranean. 1t was not however, till
about the year 1860 that correct infor-
nation as to tho preparation of sugar
fsrov IL I'm s,>
rope. The celebrated Venetian trav-
eIcr, Marco Polo, conferred this benefit
Oh tho European community, having
asccrtaincd the process when Journey
ing in China. In q little time the Gull
tivation Of sugar was commenced in
several of tho West Indian Islands,
then recently discovered by Columbus,
and in comparatively brief period,
tho importations Of tho article into Eu-
ropo were SO extensive rs to greatly
enrich Spain and increase the royal
revenue. 1t Is here worthy OF remark
that when England took Jamaica from
the Spaniards in 1856, the island con-
tanned only three plantations, but it
had not been long in our possession be-
fore these were improved and tho num-
Der Increased. The history Of the in
PRODUCTION ofbcctroot sugar into Europe
uuIluss llC pIcScnC century forms one
of the modern romanccs of trade, for
few could have suggested that tho hum
bic European root could have formed Il
rival to the stately cane, nourishcd by
tho soil and sun OF the tropics. Tho
sugar cane varies in length and size
according to the climate and soil in
which it is produced. 1t is generally
considered, however, to thrive best in
Il moist soil, as the roots arc numerous,
and it sometimes reaches the height of
twenty feet. n fold of canes when in
full blossom is described rs one of the
most beautiful spcctaclCs that the pom
or pencil can possibly describe. There
arc great many difficulties to be con-
tended with in cultivatin. sugar, the
canes themselves having numerous
enemies, and very great care and
WatchtulncSS arc necessary to insure
good produce. An insect caltcu tho
"Biast' settles on the growing plants
in millions, and, unless Immediately
removed, Kills them Ivy eating it's way
inside. In addition to these, horcrS,
worms, rats, and ants are greatly to be
feared, and the cNtirpation of these
pests must he Il constant object with the
planters.