The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1876-09-07
Melon Sugar In California.

A new industry unknown to the press
is in process of Inauguration in Califor-
MIA, which may interest the rural dis
tricts of Maryland and elsewhere. II
is making sugar, table strip 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 unprotita-
bic 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, DR.. Hitler was sent to
Hungaryto 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 a large sugar fac
tory, in full and successful operation,
and engaged its best men to come to
California and 90 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
planting the homemade engine and
boilers. The locality is on Andres
Island, in the long delta 'twixt the
rivers Sacramento and San joaquin
pronounced Sanwaukin.) This be-
longs to group of low islands that are
submerged at high water, and therefore
not fit for culture. But when reclaimed
by entertainments they are exceptionally
productive. They are equally produc-
tive in all seasons, wet or dry. But,
while beets are not always sure, melons
are n crop that never fails in this eli
mate, and the factory being on naviga-
bic waters it can get melon juice from
a vast area of melon country at small
expense for transport. Andres Island
itself is famous for melons, and SO are
Grand and Brannon Islands, near by ,
and now reclaimed. The distance from
San Francisco is about 20 miles by wa
ter. Watermelons with white pulp are
preferred. Their agriculture is more
than 80 per cent. less costly than beets.
They are planted II feet apart one way
and the other way six feet apart. Be-
fore weeds interfere the leaves of the
plants cover the ground and kill them.
Besides, they make an impenetrable
mulchiBg, which keeps the soil moist
and prevents baking. Harvesting mel
ons is cheap and clearly, while uproot-
ing beets is laborious, and the coarse,
adhering dirt is removed by hand, while
the crown is cut away as Improbable
for sugar. Beets alss need much weed
ing.
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 melon-juice is not affected
for several days. Beets are washed and
rasped or sliced, while melons, by one
cut, deliver their juice over a seed
strainer 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 dissillation.
The sirup from melons is delicious. The
seeds make the finest table oil, and the
refuse is good for cattle. Taking ac-
count of so many advantages, sugar
from melons, though rated at Z per
cent. of the weight of the fruit, instead
of 8 allowed for beets, costs less to
make. The difference may be set down
as % cents for melon sugar to cents
a pound for beet sugar. In regard to
quality, melon sugar is superior. I'm
less extra care be used, beet sugar is
apt to have an unpleasant buggy fla
vOr.-COr. Baltimore Sun.