The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-09-01
Re SUGAR INTEREST OF LOUISE
ANA.


louisiana lands to give the heaviest yields Of
tDtton. and to produce the finest qua ity of to-
4 taceo In the world and have granted her almost
monopoly ih the United States of one of the
most valuable productions of any zone-that OF
n sugar.
II The largest amount Of sugar produced in the
II btafe was estimated ta be approximately five
u hundred million pounds. with thirty million
gallons Of 1nolasses. a trop which at the present
average valuation. with fair sugar for stand
ard would be worth about flfty-two millions of
j dollars. This enormous crop was made during
Y the first year Of the late war. few years pre-
Fious crop of 4a5. GEO. 900 pounds Of sugar and
\ n proportionate quantity of molasses WINS made
CON the same sugar fields.
I The war checked and almost destroyed the
ssugar industry OF Louisiana. The sugar region
was the scene of but few battles, but it suffered
j greatly from the marching and countermarch-
ing Of a large invading army, particularly as
some of its commanders, actuated by spirit of
vandalism. burned or destroyed more than half
the costly manufactures in the state. It Is a
swonder that this industry was ever revived,
considering that the stock of cane in the State
was nearly exhausted, a large majority of the
plantations were laid waste and their buildings
arazed. while the labor system was. not only COM
kpletely revolutionized. but labor also was. so to
speak, com pletely demoralized. In some por-
lions of the State the industry was almost
Scrushed out. as the sugar lands along the Red
Hfyer and in the two parishes on the Mississippi
sust below the mouth Of Red river Pointe Cou-
pee and West Felicana, which were formerly
The most productive parts Of the sugar district.
gaow produce comparatively very little sugar, as
II majority OF the old cane fields have been
9urned to some other crop.
- n If tr Inn, mt
interest was greatly impeded by the wretched
ind rapacious governments imposed upon the
M,ate by the miserable reconstruction policy.
Nt was n generally conceded fact that the minis
4rs Of misgovernment who then held sway
sutd not manage to keep up the twelve hum
Ared miles of ievees in the sugar district while
sley misappropriated, specialized upon, or stole
he funds necessary to do this work, or that
hey could hold an ignorant laboring popula-
Jon under civilized control while they sought
D stir in them sentiment Of resentment and
aatred toward their employers, the land
Hwners, or that they could protect the region
shich they ruled when they subjected 1t to a
axation which nearly amounted to conflsca-
ION The evils of this misgovernment were
zach that they scared away capital or restricted
70 How into the sugar districts to niggardly
slsns, which were in most instances only OBJ
Unable at such enormous rates of interest as
/, almost ruin those who were unfortunately
)mpelled to borrow money wherewith to carry
n their plantations.
The vitality of the sugar interest f,r several
ars after 1868 was. fguratively speaking al
lost fed upon the hope that the instruction in
iba would so decrease the large annual crop
that island rs to largely increase the price Of
staple. or to maintain the high prices OBJ
nable up TO 1871. Under some such stimulus
N T.a1tf. "a nf
wn. That amounted to nearly 900 hogs
ssads. Thereafter prices neither rose nor were
" even maintained. There was a marked
Inc in values which begun In 1871 and ended
Ts. The amount produced also decreased
4 "A 1875, when the crop reached about no.
100 pounds Of sugar and IL 900 900 gallons of
asses.
notable rise In the price of the staple lowing
iarently TO the decrease In Cuban produce |
.. then commenced. and the crop of 1876 is |
ed to have been 10000 600 pounds Of sugar |
4 1s,ooo.ooo gallons of molasses, valued ap- |
Ultimately at $2o.5oo0oo. and produced from !
9area WHOSE cane was actually groundl Of |
put 100000 acres or a gross acreage of 600 |
rnating that 30, 600 acres were put up for seed
u 1879 to plant the present growing crop OF |
mt cane. |
We have in former edition endeavored to |
@sblish the opinions of many leading planters |
lad merchants as to the amount of sugar
" kelly to be produced in the present fall and |
inter. A personal inspection of the fields in
PARISHES which produced last year about 100 900
Eogsheads. can hardly be enough whereupon to
ase an estimate of the amount likely to be
|aade this year. In the district along the Mis-
ssippi river coast. from the mouth Of Red
Ever to the lowest field in Pladuemines. the
3fops of West Baton Rouge. Ibervile and
RJurxx ,t,,,s |
70 generally Of q fair average size. and appear
be growing well.
Paauemnes parish seems to be ahead of all
hers In the stubble, as in that parish the Sc
20 cold Of last winter had least effect. The
bible throughout that parish s.up to fair
arage on most OF the plantations and unu-
ally fine on others. With the exception of
three noted parishes it is likely that there
II be. even under the most favorable circun-
snces. a considerable decrease In the sugar
ID along the coast below that made
VI the same region last year. From
srespondents In Avoyelles and Rapides
learn that a decrease is also ex-
tied in those parishes, but the amount there
de is so trivial as scarcely to affect the bulk !
the crop. In ST. Landry Assumption. Terre-
hne, st. Mary. Iberia. Lafourche an d st. Mar J
the increase over las. years crop must be
(ge to make UP the deficiency of the major {
ttion of the sugar district. {
Within the present week we have heard the
fmates of the growing crop made by several '
Eminent and su cessfpi planters. None of
tse have exceeded Iso.ooe.ooo pounds. If this
CUNT could be made it may be considered
der the circumstances, as a splendid crop.
spring was late and COOL the plant cane,
ugh large in acreage and generally of a good
i'd was late in coming up. very large pro-
xtion of stubble was destroyed during the
winter. and the cane suffered in some por- I
Is of the State from a severe drouth, which
ed from the end of May to the middle of '
y. However. the crop having been stimu-
d by the application of thousands of tons of c
nizers. has grown with extraordinary rap
during the three summer months, and is
! Erssant of fair size generally