The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-03-16
DIssTON's GREAT ENERGY.
Experiments IN Cane Culture 1OC
Miles Below St. Cloud.

EXP Grim ent6 IN Cane Culture lou
Miles Below St. Cloud.
From the Jacksonville (FId.) Times Union.
Col. J. M. Kreamer of the Disston Drain
age Company was in the city Tuesday
morning, guest of the St. James, having
returned from an inspection of the com
pany's operations in the vicinity OF Lake
Okeechobee.
Last May the company planted some cane
as an experiment at three different points
in the drainage area. This cane was
planted fully 100 miles below the fields OF
st. Cloud, with a view TO ascertaining
whether or not it would be injured by frost
In an Interview with e reporter Col.
Kreamer said that the experiment had been
eminently satisfactory, and he appeared to
be enthused with the prospects of the de-
velopment Of the great possibilities Of that
region: ..,,,
extraordinarily severe test owing to the IN
usual cold of this winter, but 1t was unin-
jured. At st. Cloud, where frost Injuries
the plant very rarely, large proportion of
the crop had to be windrowed IN order to
save it for sugsrmaking, and the eyes were
so badly bitten as to make IL unfit for seed.
For this reason the crop had to be gathered
in January to save it to be manufactured in
to syrup. Last year there was no severe
weather, and the cane was in sound oondi-
ton in April.
at is the certainty In regard to frost
that necessitates the commencement of
cane cutting in Louisiana in September,
while at St. Cloud this is deferred until
December. and would not DO begun until
February were it not for the uncertainty in
regard TO frost. Florida has an advantage
over Louisiana in climate, which is Of ines
Unable value, as every day Of delay 10 cut
ting adds to the maturity Of the crop and
enhances the value. When cane has to be
wind-rowed IL must be manufactured into
sugar within three weeks. For this reason
is is necessary, on a large plantation. for
sugar making to be begun early in order TO
run none Of the risks Of damage by frost.
SIT has been thought that the region
about Lake obee-being 100 miles
below the st. Cloud plantation and with the
proximity Of the Gulf OF Mexico, the At
Iantic ocean and It's gulf stream washing
the south and east coasts, with the great
body of water In Okeechobee covering 900
square miles-would be the ideal country
for the growing Of sugar cane. To demon
strate this the experiments were made.
These surmises have been proven 20 be an
assured fact. This caue, planted in May at
three points covering belt OF fifteen miles,
is now growing as luxuriantly as though Ii
was midsummer, and it is now the only
sugar cane in the United States above
ground. Some of this cane will form a
part of Osceola county's exhibit at the
worlds fair. 1t is now being trahsplsnted
in tubs in order that it will continue to
grow.
1.-The rasuIt of this planting is worth
thousands OF dollars to the company, as &c
demonstrates that the Okeechobee belt Of
sugar lands is not liable to frosts that will
in any wise injure the growth Of cane or
force a crop to be manufactured before ma
turity. It means that Florida will have
six months Of grinding season and Louisiana
but two.
''Clsus Spreckels, when examining the
vicinity of klssimmes, said: If you can
assure me that sugar cane will not be in
iured by frost on these lands then l see no
reason why six tons OF cane cannot be
grown per acre, But to do this it is neoes-
sary that large area should be planted and
let the cane have from fourteen TO sixteen
months Of growth
"Such conditions are not possible about
Kissinmee. for in some years the crop
would be seriously injured. Such result,
however, can Le obtained in that favored
region further south around Lake Okee-
chobee, l have no doubt Of it.
FLORIDA will have an exclusive exhibit
OF cane at the worlds fair, and IL will prob
ably do much toward attracting the atten-
ton of capital to the soil and climate OF
Southern Florida