The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1885-11-07

SUGAR SQu1ps.-The long looked for rain
has come at last, but has not been followed
by colder weather, as is usually tbs case at
this season of the year. On the contrary,
the temperature continues exceedingly mild
for November, and consequently there has
been very slight increase perceptible in the
yield of sugar cane since grinding com
inenced. The rain lasted only two days,
and the weather is again favorable for cut
ting and hauling cane.
Advices from tbs plantations of this and
adjacent parishes Indicate the generally en-
eouraging progress of rolling, and the only
really unfavorable feature of the situation
is the steady decline in the market prices of
cane products. Open kettle, yellow clari-
fed and graduated sugars hold their OWL
better than other grades. To-day's quota
lions in New Orleans range from 3s614c
for common ana inferior to 4x@5c for
prime open kettle; 51s@54c for seconds to
exc for granulated centrifugal. Planta-
ton molasses ranges from IA to 48c, accord
Ing to quality, and new cane syrup from Is
to 50 cents. Receipts are reported fair and
the demand only moderate.
One of the best yields of which we have
yet heard this season ia reported from tho
Magnolia plantation of Capt. Aldrich, near
Paincourtville, where it is said stubble cane
is yielding POO pounds Of sugar to the acre.
This fine result is largely attributed to the
non-use of fertilizers, which have q tenden-
cy to encourage the growth aud consequent
ly retard the ripening of cane in mild sea-
sons like the present. rendering the juice
Gummy and augmenting the work and time
required for granulation. On a number of
plantations where fertilizers have been en-
ployed too freely, the grinding of stubble
cane has been Suspended and only plant is
being hauled to the mills.
Mr.. Leon Picard started tbs sugar mill
on his Live Oak place at Dutchtown We'd
nesday last, and ran until Thursday night,
when work was brought to a halt by the
breaking Of the housing of the mill in two
places. The damage is being repaired by
MIR. Henry Reed, skillful mechanic, who
expects to complete the job by Monday.
We hear that broken roller shaft ut the
Dugas Leblanc place, near Paincourt-
vile, stopped the mill there last week, and
that the shaft was sent to New Orleans to
be mended. A leak in one of the boilers ut
Belle Alliance sugar-house, Assumption,
will be repaired by Messrs. McPeet l. Son
tomorrow.
The same mechanics patched bagging
boiler at the Rodriguez place, last week
and repaired leaky boiler tubes and a bag
gy crown sheet Mt the Peytavin pump
house.
A broken king bolt at the Orange Grove
mill, last week. threatened to cause delay
tHo days or more in the work at that
place, but the mechanical skill of Mr. Err
nest Walther, the we'll known blacksmith
on the Clark place, obyiated the necessity
of sending the fractured bolt to the city for
repair. Mr.. Walther made it rs good as
uew By a few hours work, whereupon Man
nger Cochrane rose up and blessed him
with much fervor.
We have received samples of sugar from
the Point Hcumas, Clark, Orange Grove
and Riverton plantations, ard they are of
uniformly fine grain and pretty color. Our
young friend Fritz Werner, who is serving
his first seaso:, as full fedged sugar-ma-
ker, is producing results at Point Houmas
that are highly crcditable to himself and
satisfactory to his employer, Mr.. Cofeld
Our other friend and fellow townsman, Mr..
D. Ohlmeyer, who has charge of the vacuum
pan at the Clark place, is one of the best
sugar-makers in the State, as his work will
show.