, 1891-03-18

(From the Louisiana PLGnter.)
An address by Mr.. J. H. Randolph, de-
livered before the Louisiana Central
Agricultural Society, Baton Rouge. Feb
ruary 4, 1891.
In view of the fact that,the price of sugar
has become solOw, that the present methods
prevailing in this state for producing 1t
make it barely profitable to continue its
production in the majority Of cases, espe-
efally among the small planters, it behoOves
us, who arc interested i'll making our crops
remuneratiVe, to devise methods for the
greater development of the sugar interests,
and to settle upon some better plan than is
now pursued by the most OF us engaged I'D
that industry.
Argument is scarcely necessary to esta-
blish the fact that to raise cane and sell
it at 81 or SIS per ton is the best plan for
small planters and perhaps for many who
may be considered large planters, to pursue,
provided cost of transportation to point
of delivery is not too great. Shipping
cane by the cars is somewhat OF a draw
back 10 the method of its disposition, as 1t
not only necessitates additional cost OF
transportation, but increased labor III re-
loading from cart 10 car and i'll it's delivery
at the carrier.
The advantage of selling their cane will
then be to those who can haul direct from
their field to the mil that buys their cane,
and I venture to say that with good roads
the cane could be prOftably hauled for a
distance of two or two and n half miles.
You will now probably ask who is going
to give you 81 or So for a ton OF cane. L
can not say that anybody will, unless 1T IS
an assured fact that it is profitable to pur-
chase it at those figures. l contend, how
ever, that means may be devised and pro-
ceSses put into execution that Will enable
the producer of the cane to get that much
for his goods, if the purchaser is content
with a reasonable profit Oh his purchases.
Experiments that have been recently made
show cOnclusively that the concentration or
capital into one general manufacturing es-
Establishment that has a capacity for hand
ling the raw material produced of thousands
OF acres is the most advantageous way of in
vesting capital for the development OF the
sugar interests of our fertile state. l refer
particularly to the Catfrey central factory
near Franklin, La.
T understand that that establishment,
costing 1926, 900, has netted this, its first
season. though beginning late in the fall,
of last year, 100000, more than 10 per cent.
on the investment, and that it was supplied
by cane at a cost of$4.75 per ton; and bear
in mind, this is the price il could afford to
give and make a handsome profit with
prices of sugar ruling extremely low, with
q short season, on account of commencing
late. and the mill probably not running at
its full capacity a good part of the time.
Now. suppose IN view of the tariff being
rer,oyed after April next, that we will have
further decline in sugar, we have more
than an Offset to that disadvantage in the
hounty that is to be paid. Two cents per
nound for such sugars that are produced in
well appointed factories, but only II cents
per pound for the sugar made IN the ouik
of our plantation sugar houses. Ii Wouiu
scarcely be r~easonable to think that the re-