The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1876-09-10
SCGIR CROP and PROSPECTS.
PROFITS OF SUGAR PLANTING. =.
Our Home Journal !

u
Agriculture for July, to be two (2) per cen
less than last year.
The condition of the crop on the whole
is about as favorable as last year at thi.
time-the plant cane is not as promising
| but the stubble Ia unusually good and pro.
mises fine yield.
The crop ID of course subject to the casu.
| a!tles OF the seasons, and an early fros,
| would seriously interfere with the yieid-
but the general impression seems to be
that production this year will shew an in
crease OF from ten to fifteen per cent over
last year, though there are some who dc
not admit any Increase possible.
| The prospects of remunerative prices To
| the planter are, however, at this time very
| favorable, and there is no reasonable
doubt, that the average of prices during
the coming season, will be materially
above those of last year. Diminished pro
ductlon in Cuba, together with an antici
pated short beet crop in Europe, have al
| ready had their effect, on prices of raw
| sugar both in this country and in Europe,
and the anticipated shortness of supply
from these causes has indaced the importa
ton of raw sugar from England, by rein
ers in the Northern cities, to not incon
| siderable extent.
The Indications are therefore all fayora-
Die to the sugar planting interests of this
State-a good yield aud higher prices for a
crop produced probably at u less cost than
any since the war.
The cultivation of sugar in Louisiana,
though considered forced crop, has been
With proper management, profitable one
when seasons have been favorable. The
interest has without doubt suffered SO
vereiy during the period since the war-at-
trlbutable to the fact that many plan ntations
had to be refurnished anew, with every ma
ter1al necessary for cultivation, and in
many cases from money boIro y ed at high
rates OF interest, combined with bad sea
sons, low prices, and high cost of produc-
ton.
Many of these disadvantages have been
overcome within the past three years, and
the results obtained by intelligent planters
WlChln that period, cOnclusively demon
strate that with proper management the
production of sugar in the State is tie most
profitable OF our agricultural industries.
In planting on large scale the needs of
success, ,lrresPective OF contingencies of eli
mate, are capital sufficient to meet expen-
ses as they accrue-(so as to avoid the
payment of heavy interest and kindred
charges) intelligent planting, close atten-
ton to details, with economy aud business
tact in management of the affairs of the
plantation. These combined will almost
always insure successfully are indeed the
requisites for success in any calling but
more especially 80 in planting.
An instance has been cited to US recently
of party who was compelled to take
plantation for q debt of some S75, 900. 1t
was place that had been worked for
many years-but the former occupants had
year after year fallen behind in their en-
gagements, until the place was so incum-
bered, that it passed into the hands of the
creditor.
The new owner, novice too in sugar
planting, but a shrewd, careful manager,
has had different and far more satisfactory
experience than the former owners, the re.
suits of the place in the past two years
having Produced him net gain of $3l 900,
after deducting expenses of every kind, as
well as taxes, replenishing of stock, new
implements, and repairs to machinery. We
mention this as single instance among
many within oar know ledge, and as an ev-
ldence OF the results of proper manage
ment.
The cost of the cultivation of cane is
but trlt1e if any more than that of cotton
the heaviest expense is the machinery
and apparatus necessary for the manufac-
ture of the sugar, requiring a considerable
outlay.
Experiments made within the past two
years both in Plaquemine and the Attaka-
pas parishes, show that cane can be raised
and sold to planters having the appliances
tor the manufacture of sugar, at prices that
not only pay the producer handsome gain,
but also give TO the purchaser good mar
gin of profit on it's manufacture.
49, ""Si0 VI SohC "Ail PLOuuCo 1IOn ~ LO
80 tons-the price paid last season for cane |
delivered at the mill was $5 per ton, and
even at the lowest range of production, as |
above stated, the producer receives a better |
average, than on almost any other general |
product.
The system of central sugar mills for the
purchase of cane from the small planter, is |
now in successful operation in Australia |
and in the Dutch and French Colonies in |
the East, and is being introduced also with |
success into the Dauish Colonies in the
West Indies, and in English Colonies in
the Windward Islands.
If it can be made to work successfully in |
THIS State, and we see no reason why it |
should not, it will be the means of materi-
ally increasing the production of this all |
important crop of our State, and in induc-
ng the emigration here of thrifty and |
class of population.
A BEAUTIFUL ExPERIMENT.-A French !
in studying the physiology
IF the vegetable kingdom, conceived that
hn nf foip III