New-York tribune., 1877-07-21
LOUISIANA SUGAR MAKING.
ITS EXPENSES AND PROFITS.
COST OF ANTATIoNs-ISDUCEMENTs OF THE BUsi-
svrrr r,,rST- -rprrrr-rUE PEOPLE


persons who get out of the current and strike oil
into latiudes to which they strangers by birth
and inherited adaptabiity often repent Of their dev-
alton from what seems to be natural law. There
are, however, in the North many thousands Of peo-
pie afflicted with lung complaints, whom the cold
Winters and raw Springs of that section hurry along
toward the valley Of death with pitess and resist
less power change of residence to the South often
brings complete cure and almost, always prolongs
life for many years. The dficnlt Stobem for those
who desire to obtain relief for themselves or for
members of their household by making homes IN the
Southern States is how to find profitable occupation
Even the fortunate few who have money enough to
live upon do not like to become dlers and with the
majority the question of income takes precedence or
everything else OF late years Florida has received
the army of healthseekers flying from the rgors of
Northern climates but few do more than bivOuac on
her soil. Many 90 intending TO plant themselves
there but do succeed in taking root. They dis
cover certain way of earning living. The
sandy soil of the peninsula yields little that is
marketable except oranges, and that fruit is pre-
carous crop. More fail than succeed who attempt
its culture. Besides. It requires long time and
good deal Of money 10 start orchard and bring
il to hearing Louisiana cannot be compared with
Florida as a santarium for serious of cOnsump-
tion but in incipient stages of the disease aud III
throat complaints residence in one State usually
proves about as beneficial the other The in
ducements for people who want to cultivate the soil
for profit and at the time enjoy the benefit OF
a mild climate are much greater here than in
Florida.
Besides instead of a country where no
grass grows, and where cattle pick up
a scanty living by browsing weeds and
bushes here is a region OF verdant prairies and
of rich, black. alluvial soil, in which great va
rety of crops thrive The most profitable crop cul-
tivated on a large scale anywhere in the United
States is the sugar-cane and Louisiana is the only
section Of the country where the sugar industry is
well established. The thrves and is the staple
product in all parts of the State south of the latl-
tude of Baton Rouge. except in the pine upands
bordering on Texas 1t must not be thought, how
ever. that the whole Of the region within these
boundaries actually produces sugar. The area OF
cultivated land is comparatively small; swamps.
lakes rivers, and bayOus occupying most Of the
surface of the country and the territory available
for planting being restricted to strips along
the watercourses The shores of the Mississippi for
fifty miles above and below New-Orleans are lined
with cane fields extending back for about mile to
the cypress swamps Along the Atchafalaya, and the
Iafourche Plaquemine Teche, BGuf COurtableau,
and other bayous west of the Mississippi there Is
little besides sugar raised The Ieehe and the
parishes bordering upon 1t, known under the gen.
eral name of the Attakapas country Is the paradise
Of the sugar planter. Perhaps the land is no bet
ter than that along the other bayOus, but its con-
formation makes it of drainage while the
proximity of the Gulf gives it cool breezes IN
summer, and the natural beauties of the region
make it the most attractive part of Louisiana.
Longeellow's description in "Eyangeline' fits 1t
very well.
Beautiful is the land with its prairies and forest Of
Under the feet garden of flowers and the bluest Of
Bending above and resting its dome on the walls Of
They who dwell there have named it the Eden of
louisiana"
There are many little descriptive passages in the
poem that are remarkably true to nature. and the
wonder is that Loncfelow could have got the local
coloring so well without once visiting the region he
pictures.
The business of sugar planting offers peculiar in
ducements to Northern people who want to md new
homes in the South. The profits are immediate, and,
with proper management. very large am afraid
of being accused of exaggeratiOn if | should give
statements of the sums made the last year from
of the plantations on the Teche. Farmers accus
toned to the small gains of grain culture will find
it hard to believe that such large amounts can be
realized from given areas of land. will venture a
few figures however furnished me by planters A
plantation near Franklin, with 100 acres in cane
received for its product of sugar and molasses
800. 900, and the net profit, deducting all ex-
penses. even to the cigars smoked by the planter
and his friends, was 100000. This Is an eXcep-
tionaly large plantation. About 800 acres under
cultivation is an average one The following is the
condensed balance sheet for 1915 Of 300-acre place
above Franklin:
400 hhds at cents per pound GOO
300 bbis. mOlasses at 500
EXPENSES.
Iabor-25 hands throughout year and
10 extra hands in sugar-mahng sea-
Rs3ions-Fiye pounds pork and peek
OF meal week 10 each hand--.--. 200
Hossheads c': head ana barrels 300
purchase OF mules tools repairs, &c.... 5000
Commission on sale OF crOp..-..--.. I'-'o-HZZ'''o
proet ....................... .si9,i25
The cost of a plantation like this, in good condi-
tion. with sugar-house and machinery in good re-
pair, would range from 10000 to $4,000. There
is usually three or four times as much swamp as
arabic land sold with plantation, but the swamp
has \ value for it furnishes the wood required for
rpel in the sugar-mill A hOgshead of sugar to the
acre is a small yield, one and half hogsheads fair
Weld. and two large one. There are 1900 pounds
of sugar in a hogshead, and the price in New-Or-
leans ranges from cents for an ordinary brown
Grade to 10 and IL cents for the white coffee sugar
made by vacuum pans aud centrifugal machinery
for separating the molasses from the sugar Field
hands are paid $16 month and a ration, and have
Saturday afternoons to themselves and the use of
mule 10 cultivate patches OF their own. The cane
thev raise on these patches is worked up by the
planter and they get half the product. An indus
trin,s necrn will thus add hundred dollars moro