Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-08-20
CENTRAL SUGAR FACTORIES.

| An article of ours appearing in these COL
umns some months ago, showed from reli-
| able authorities that very large proportion
| of Texas was eminently suited 10 4 success
full culture of tropical sugar cane (''ribbon
| cane" as it is sometimes called, and that
| the day would probably arrive that would
| find Texas producing by far the largest
| quantity of cane sugar grown within the
| United States. The article seems TO have
attracted general attention, and as result
we have numerous letters asking for in-
| formation with reference 10 cane culture in
| general, and the manufacture of syrup and
| sugar in particular. One Of these letters
| asking for information concerning the man
| ufacture of syrup and sugar was published
| in our correspondents department of last
week, as referred TO in another article. In
| our reply it was given as our opinion that it
would not pay to undertake the manufac-
| ture of sugar on a small scale, but that,
| where considerable communities would go
! into the business of cane growing, small
| central factories might be established to
| work up the product of the planters, and
| that the factories might be made a paying
| success. We now have before us i copy of
| the New Orleans Sugar Bowl, in which is
| an article treating on these central sugar
| factories. 1t states, in substance. that every
| where throughout the United States where
| tropical sugar cane and sugar beets are be-
| ing grown, the people are talking up an
| erection of small central sugar factories TO
| purchase the raw material and work ii into
| sugar. Tropical cane and sugar beets pay
| the grower better than almost any other
| crop provided he can get Il ready market
| for his product. These small central facto-
| ries, located in communities. would give
| him that market, while, at the same time,
| they would do profitable business for
! their owners. The same factOrI could be
made to work both cane and beets. The
people are resolved on having them, hence
it is highly probable that within the next
few years very large sums of money will be
invested in their erection.
The central sugar factory, says the Sugar
Bowl. is comparatively new idea in the
United States. Even III Louisiana. the
greatest sugar-producing region of North
America, as YET. the matter has not been
taken hold of in earnest until this year
Now the cry goes up everywhere for central
sugar factories. Scarcely locality can be
found which lin the opinion of those di-
rectly concerneG) is not the best place in
the state for such an establishment. This
only serves 10 show that there are many
places where they are needed, and, n ac-
pF1.l with 6f n.tI
want can long remain unsatistied.
The extent to which these central sugar
factories are in demand is amazing. 1t
would probably take hundred million dol
lars 70 establish all asked for. and so great
all interest is bound to bring them, and
when they do come there will be complete
revolution in the sugar industry 1t will
be the small planter who produces our sugar
instead of the large, as in the past, for the
small planter can raise cane with more
profit to himself than can the large planter
acting as both producer and manufacturer.
The present outlook would seem to indicate
that even in Louisiana the great sugar
plantations must speedily go. They will
be divided up into small plantations, the
factories. So great is the demand for cen
tral factories in Louisiana alone that, ac-
cording to the Sugar Bowl, $50, 000. 600 could
to-day be proftably invested in them. Al
ready several are in successful operation.
the largest. perhaps, being at Franklin, St.
Mary parish. 1t turned out about 5000 600
pounds of sugar last year, but even this
great capacity is found to be entirely below
the requirement. So great is the rush upon
it, and so rapid the increase of small plant
ations in the neighborhood, that the propri-
etors are seriously considering arrange
ments for doubling its capacity. This
statement from the Sugar Bowl is of spe-
cial interest as showing how the sugar in
dustry of this country is undoubtedly tend
ing. and what shape we may safely count
upon for its general establishment in the
near future.
Central sugar factories will let Texas in
as by far the greatest sugar-prodacing state
in the Union. Her sugar cane belt, or re-
gions in which sugar cane does as well as
it could possibly do in North America. is
larger than five such sugar belts as the one
appearing in Louisiana. The only thing
holding Texas back in tie cane sugar indus
try, up TO this time, has been the large
plantation system. The spirit of our peo-
pie seems to tend towards small planta-
tions as rule. These central factories
will be in strict harmony with that prevail
ing spirit The man seeing fit TO devote
only half an acre to sugar cane will be able
to haul it TO the factory and realize just as
much for it, pound for pound. as he would
realize We're he cultivaring 10000 acres TO
the crop.
Then. in addition TO this, we have an i'm
mense area entirely suited TO a culture of
the sugar beet. The sugar beet does its
best on lands inclined to sandy-we have
lands of this character in very large repre-
sentation throughout what we term our
sugar belt. Under these circumstances the
planter will be able TO take his choice as to
his sugar crops. If he prefers to raise su-
gar cane for the central factory he will set
tie on lands best adopted 10 the production
of cane: if beet culture suits him best he
will locate on the sandy lands. So strangely
has nature thrown together our lands of
different character that the cane growers
and the beet growers may make up the same
community almost anywhere hauling their