American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1876-10-21
Melon Sugar in California.

| A new industry unknown to the press
is in process of Inauguration in Cali
fornia, which may interest the rural dis
tricts of Maryland and elsewhere. 1t
is making sugar, table-sirup and table,
oil from watermelons. Mr.. Rode, of
San Francisco, seeing that our beet
sugaries have not made profit, turned
attention to watermelons. He found
that when beet sugar proved unprofta-
BILE in Hungary, Herr Hoffman substi-
tuted melons, with most gratifying sue
cess. His sugary at Zombar is one of
the largest and best paying in Europe.
Accordingly DIR. Hillar was sent to
Hungary to consult with Herr Hoffman,
compare climates, and, if satisfied, he
was instructed to buy works and i'm
port skilled labor. To make double
assurance he bought large sugar fac
tory, in full and successful operation,
and engaged its best men to come to
California and go on just where they
left off. In this way, supposing the
melons to be all right, there can be no
failure. The machinery has arrived at
New York and workmen are now plant
ing the homemade engine and boilers.
The locality is on Andres Island, in the
long delta 'twixt the rivers Sacramento
and San Joaquin pronounced San
waukin). This belongs to group
of low lands that are SUBJ
merged at high water, and there
fore not fit for culture. But when
reclaimed by embankments they are ex-
ceptionably productive. They are
equally productive in all seasons, wet
or dry. But, while beets are not al
ways sure, melons are crop that new
er fails in this climate, and the factory
being on navigable waters it can get
melon juice from vast area of melon
country at small expense for transport.
Andres Island itself is famous for mel
ons, and so are Grand and Brannon
Islands, near by, and now reclaimed.
The distance from San Francisco is
about 20 miles by water. Watermel-
ons with white pulp are preferred.
Their agriculture is more than so per
cent. less costly than beets. They are
planted - feet apart one way and the
other way six feet apart. Before weeds
interfere the leaves of the plants cover
the ground and kill them. Besides,
they make an impenetrable mulching,
which keeps the soil moist and prevents
baking. Harvesting melons is cheap
and clearly, while uprooting beets is
laborisus, and the coarse, adhering
dirt is removed by hands, while the
crown is cut away as Improbable for
sugar. Beets also need much wedding.
A melon-field needs only one-fourth
the blowing. Beets can only be deliv-
cred in the root, because the juice turns
quickly black, and the sugar becomes
starch, while melou-juice is not affected
for several days. Beets are washed and
rasped or sliced, while melons, by one
cut, deliver their juice over seed
into the watts direct. The melon
being free from impurities, which
makes costly chemistry in beet sugar,
is much less expensive.
Beet sirup is only fit for distillation.
The strip from melons is delicious.
The seeds make the finest tabls oil, and
the refuse is good for cattle. Taking
account of SO many advantages, sugar
from melons, though rated at per
cent. of the weight of the fruit, instead
of allowed for beet, costs less to make.
The difference may be set down as 81
cents for melon sugar to Z cents pound
for beet sugar. In regard to quality,
melon sugar is superior. Unless extra
care be used, beet sugar is apt to have
an unpleasant buggy fiavor.-Cor. Bal
tf,aore Sun.