Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1894-03-22
SOMETHING ABOUT SUGAR.
Instructive and Entertaining Notes on
Sweet subject. -

Sweet subject.
When we know that only four cen
turies ago, during 1497, writes Robert
Mitchell Floyd in the American Grocer.
the first authentic account of
sugar being introduced into England,
VIC cannot but marvel at its cheapness
of production and universal use by all
classes and people.
Like many other things in everyday
use, its early history is very vague, and
though ancient Jews are credited with
having knowledge concerning it, yet no
mention of sugar whatever is found in
the Scriptures. All writers seem to
agree that tho candied or graduated
particles, resulting from boiling the
juice of a reed or grass -sorgho, now
known as sorghum or Chinese sugar
cane, sorghum nigrum-were first used
in the Celestial Empire, and date back
prior to all records and was in use
many centuries before il was known in
India or Arabia. Among the Grecians,
at a very early date, it was used in
medicine and spoken Of as the very
costly drug "lndan salt"
Later on sugar CONNECTIONS were re-
ceived from Arabia and Persia at Rome
and Greece, but were held at so high u
value that they were only used on very
rare occasions by the most wealthy citi.
zens. 1t is said that Nearchus, one of
Alexander the Greats admirals, while
in the East Indies, 1876 b. c., discovered
large quantities of sugar, which he
brought over with him.
Pliny also mentions sugar, in his
writings, as "a kind of honey from
cane" and many curious stories have
come to us regarding the penetrating
into the jungles OF Arabia and India
by the early explorers in the hope of
finding the "honey grass"
As early as A. ID. 625 sugar was
brought from Asia, and in 1850 it is
mentioned as being received in large
quantities in Southern Europe. 1t is
suppose that about 1138 seed cane was
introduced into Sicily, and in 142O
cultivation was attempted in Spain and
Madeira. Early following the discovery
OF America, seed cane was sent to San
Domingo, where it was successfully
raised, and in 1910 paintings were sent
to Brazil and later to the Barbados.
The introduction Of sugar cane into
the United States, or that part of it now
known as Louisiana, must be credited
to the Jesuit priests who came from
San Domingo in 1851. In 1858 the first
plantation and sugar mill was estab-
lished on the present site of the city of
New Orleans by Monsieur Du Breul.
No material progress was made until
1894 when the revolution in San Do
mingo brought to Louisiana number
fnf FnfnoOn nj nj Nd hnir 81 4
with them superior species of cane,
known as the Creole, which was only
grown in the French Islands. To these
men we owe the first progressive move
ment in this industry.
In 1905 paintings Of sugar cane were
made in Georgia by General Oglethorpe,
whose success drew the attention of
planters throughout his State and
Florida.
The name sugar" is Eastern in its
origin, as shown by: Persian, shakar;
Hindostanee, schukar; Arabic, sakkar,
sokkar.
At the time of its early introduction
into England, sugar was written sugre.
True sugar is largely produced from
sugar cane-saccharum ,ofticinarum; sor-
ghum, sorghum-nigrum; sugar beet or
mangel-wurzel, beta-vulgaris; sugar
maple, acer saccharium.
We use this term "true-sugarn in dis
tinction to the chemical results pro-
duced from many different materials, as
for instance starch, changed by acid to
a sweet substance, and called glucos or
grape sugar, and others known as sugar
of lead, sugar of milk, sugar of malt,
sugar of mama, DC.
The growing sugar cane in our South
ern States is not unlike our common
field corn, with its tall stalks and long,
waving, green leaves. 1t is planted in
rows about four to six feet apart, from
cuttings Of the cane--not from seed.
During the last part of October the
cane is ready for harvesting; then the
exciting period of sugar plantation
life begins, for as frost is expected at
any moment, and as it kills the cane as
far as sugar-making is concerned, all
work is done with rush. At daybreak
swarms OF negroes enter the fields, each
armed with sharp, clever-like knife;
with its back they knock off the tough
leaves and then, with quick stroke,
the stock is cut close to the roots and
thrown to the ground, where tits picked
by the women, whose duty 1t is to gather
and to carry to the teams, which wheel
1t away to the grinding mills. The
grinding consists OF running the stalks
of cane between huge iron rulers and is
conveyed through pipes to the boiling
rooms, where the first process of sugar
making is begun.
From the time the first cane is cut and
until all has been carted in there is q
fever of excitement among the workers
which seems even to stir into action the
sleepy mules. Everyone is happy, the
sick and the convalescent, both white
and black, all throng to the boiling
room to drink the sweet delicious juice
| OF the cane and also the warm syrup
| liquid from the kettles. which is sup.
posed to kill all ills that are known to be-
More than 100 years ago Louisiana
poet wrote his appreciation of the cane
| juice and its benefits to man:
While flows the juice melliflnent from the
cane,
Grudge not my friend, to let thy friend,
each morn,
But chief the sick and young at setting
day.
Themselves regale with oftrepeatet
dranghts
| Oftepid nectar; so shall health and strength
Confirm thy negroes, and make Labor
light.
| |
Smothered the Sleeping Babe.
| CuIcAGO In, March Ip-Mrs Tnbu