The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1878-11-21
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THE SUGAR INDUSTRY.

The department. of agriculture of the
United States has collected o large amount
of data of late concerning the importation
and consumption of sugar and molasses In
this country. This has been lone to show
how large a sum of money Is annually spent
abroad, m which may be hereafter kept
at home should the newly proposed plan Of
manufacturing sugar from the stalks Of
Indian corn prove successful 1t is not
the intention here to argue the point
whether sugar and molasses can be produc.
ed in paying quantity from the article in
question the commissioner says 1t can,
and that his chemist who has for some
time past been engaged in analysis has de.
monstrated that Indian corn and sorgum
grown in the United States will yield all
the saccharine product that is yearly con-
sumed and for which we now depend in q
great degree upon foreign manufacture.
This of course must be demonstrated by
time and experiment |; at present we pur-
pose looking at the statistics showing to
what extent sugar is used in this country.
1t appears that the United States, from
1860 to 1878, produced less than Is per
cent. of the cane sugar it consumed, and
little more than 81 per cent. of the molas-
SEES. The leading sources of foreign supply
are Cuba, Spanish provinces, Porto Rico,
French West Indies and Guiana, Brazil,
Dutch East Indies, British West Indies and
Honduras, British Guiana and Sandwich
Islands. The largest importations are made
from Cuba, from which we annually re-
ceive about 81, 900, 900 worth of sugar,
and the other sources range from $1,000
GOO to $4,000, 900 each. In 1860 there
were 415, 2S1 tons of sugar consumed in the
United States, Of which 119, O31 tons were
made at home in 1865, of $50, 800 tons,
but5 900 were made in the Southern States.
In 1867 the home production rose to 49,
900 tons, against a total consumption of
400, 56S tons ; in 1871 home manufacture
reached its highest point since 1869, 79, 900
tons, while the total consumption was $685.
314 tons. In 1877 the United States pro-
duced 1900 tons, and imported 561, 1853
tons.
As to the production and consumption of
molasses the same holds good. The largest
amount made in the United States was in
1869, 37,01S, 900 gallons; the smallest
amount in 1865, $50, 900 gallons. The an
nual importations of this article have ranged
from 20, 1888, 500 gallons in 1861, to 81, 578,-
969 gallons in1868-the highest point. The
average has been between 80, 00O, 900 and
$1,000, 900 gallons. In 1876 there was pro-
duced at home the largest amount since
1862, 1880, 900 gallons, and the same year
there were imported 36, 459, 504 gallons.
lofeSolnB Inquiries 20 NOT lncluQe the
Pacific States. So, In arriving at the per
capita consumption their population is de-
Quoted. Equalizing the increase east Of the
Rocky Mountains during the period from
1850 to 1870, and allowing for the destruc-
tive influence of the years of warfare, it is
ascertained that the rate per capita stands
as follows in pounds 1860, 29.5S; 1861,
2614 1859, 80. 70 1868, 90 5 1864,
1887, 1865, 24.08; 1856, 26.35 1867,
26.17; 1868, 29.7S; 1860, 80. 80; 1870,
81. rs.
The custom-house imports of sugar for
1874, 1875 and 1876 were as follows: $92,-
s49, 203; $s5, 033 ,517 and 500, 296, 553;
making the average value of imported
sugar for those three years, $S1, 893, O81.
1t must not be understood that these totals
represent the sums that have actually pass
ed into foreign banda for u sugar supply,
for at least two-thirds Of it returned to tie
United States as duties.