The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1876-04-15

"
recovered their ancient prosperity
during the last few years, by the
establishment of vast central fac.
tories. That Of Arboussier, in Gan
deloupe,with capacity of 100, 900
tons of cane, having cost $780,
600, and those of Martinique, fif.
teen in number. representing a
capital Of 81 100000, with a pro-
ductive capacity of 5000 hogs
heads ofsugar. Most of these facto
ries belong to stock companies,
and where managed with ability,
have yielded dividends ranging
from 27.33 to 4s per cent. The
shares of one of these companies,
named the Francois" rose from
a par value of 500 to $3.50.
These result will be better illus
trated In the following compara-
tive statement. taking as a stand.
ard an average hogshead Of elev-
en- hundred pounds.
| Yield per 100 lbs OF cane. to the
! Planter, 8 los Sugar and 2.4O Mo-
lasses. Amount of cane for 100
lbs of Sugar, 16 l 3 tons, S32.
Cost of Manufacturing, $50. To-
tai, $67. Gross proceeds 100 lbs
at &C. and 60 gallons at 5Oc., $96,
less $67. Net, $29.
Yield per 100 lbs o. cane, to the
Centra: Fectory, Z lbs of sugar
aud 2 lbs mOlasses. Amount OF
cane for HOO lbs Sugar, Z tOns,a
81, $2S. Cost of manufacturing
$3.50. Total, $43.34. Gross pro
ceeds 100 lbs at 81, and 12 gal
Ions at 80, S92 20, less $43.34.
Net, $4S.SG.
| - =
In Louisiana, the growing OF
cane is essentially artificial ; it is
therefore extremely important,
that the plant should be subject
to special care, il order to hasten
it's growth to an early maturity,
and ter this, among many other
reasons, should there be an absO
lutte separation of the labor of pro-
ducing the cane from that OF man.
utacturing the sugar; the planters
task should be exclusively 20
increase and perfect his cultiva
ton, in order to extract from his
land all it can produce, and thus
it will become possible to obtain
thirty or forty tons of cane per
acre, when now, only ten to TWEEN
ty tons are the average results.
In estimating the value of cane,it
should he borne III mind that the
cost of growing it is uniform,
whilst that of manufacturing it
into sugar varies according to the
quantity and density of the juice
it yields, which CHIEFLY depends
OIL an early and etlicacious cult
vation thus, a gallon of juice
weighing Z deg Beaume, should
yield one pound of sugar crystal
lied, at 8 deg. it should yield 1.31
pounds ; at 9 deg, 1.59 pounds !;
at 10 deg, 1SS pounds ; at 1O4: 2
lbs of sugar. The value of cane,
therefore, must be estimated ac-
cording to its maturity and the
density of its juice, for aqueous
cane will evidently entail an addi
tional expenditure Of fuel.
That the cane in Louisiana is
not, as a general thing, properly
ground, is proved by the quantity
OF juice remaining in the begasse,
and like wiM cane, is slow to reach
astate ofdecomposition. Obviously
this must be a source of loss in
the yield, for 100 lbs of cane at 8
per cent, containing nearly Is lbs
of saccharine matter; at so per
cent the yield of sugar would be
equal to S.15 pounds, and at N
per cent, 500.
, 1t is notorious that the number
of abandoned sugar plantations is
on the increase; as a consequence,
the machinery of sugar houses
and other appliances are going to
ruin, bitches are filling up, aud
the fields are covered with dense
masses of weeds. These plantations
, are, therefore, property of mega
tive value in the hands of ,heil
owners F.; they cost heavy taxes
, yearly and yield nothinginreturn
} Now, if these lands were divile,
into small farms of from one hun
dred to three or three or even six
, hundred acres. these could bt
t rented out, and their cultivation
t into cane stimulated by the erec-
r ton of Central Sugar Factories
: with powerful and improved ap
pliances, where the farmer coul(
!, always find a purchaser for hi
\ product. These lands would ther
t acquire value. and yield a reve-
nue. instead of being burden. II
!. cases where farmers should be
come owners of their lands, the.
e could be interested as co-partner
- f,x.k<u,v n,.l nm