The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1896-03-25
Why Not Sugar Cane ?

IN the Southern Mates Magazine
for March, Mr.. James r Randall,
who is now as practical as he once
was poetic, and whose "malaqua" "
theory has done so much to destroy
the malaria superstition in our
coast country, has ali article Of valu-
able suggestiveness
Mr.. Randall says that the owners
of big plantation on the Savannah
river near Augusta, capable of pro-
ducing great quantities of corn but
so subject to overflow as to make
that crop a frequent failure, thought
of sugar cane as a substitute and re-
quested him to make inquiries in
Washington as to the adaptabli!y of
such lands 10 its successful growth.
Senator Cafery, Of Louisiana, re-
sponded as follows
The water that ruins or Injuries
corn in the Georgia river swamps
will not hurt cane. | would prefer
that the water should be kept out,
but brief submergence such as you
mention will not affect the cane
Frost does not hurt it either, and
windrowing mitigates even freezes,
which rarely come before harvest
time in November should think
that great cane crops might be raised
and gathered on the Savannah river
plantations, and that sugar and mo-
lasses production, according to cir
cumstances, would pay At any
rate, you ordinarily lose your swamp
corn, and can save your swamp cane.
There is no better forage for fatten.
ing stock. especially hogs, than
sugar cane ground up in the ordinary
fashion y
Mai. S. a. Jones, of Mississippi,
an authority, said in effect:
IL think well of the Georgia
swamp cane culture. Never was
there better time for experiment.
There will never more be free sugar
legislation in this country. Cuba
will be crippled for long time
Besides, as Senator Cafery says, and
as the Louisiana planters have found
out at saving of many thousands of
dollars, the food stuff Of cane is i'm
mense In Louisiana. mules are fed
upon molasses. In our town of Aber-
deem one gentleman fattens about
1000 head of cattle habitually, and
his food is molasses at eight cents
gallon and cotton seed meal. We
dilute the molasses at the rate of one
gallon to two gallons of water, and
then spray it over or mix with meal.
The cattle 'lick the platter clean,'
and no doubt, if gifted with articu-
late language would. like Oliver
Twist or the average schoolboy, ask
for more"
Asked as to the raising of horses
and mules in South Carolina on cane
products, be said /:
Il would advise South Carolina to
initiate Mississippi, if she can. We
had great advantage, in my section
of the State, of living alongside of
or in close proximity to the Illinois
Central and Kansas City and Bir-
railways Poverty and
protracted drouths among farmers of
the northwest compelled them to
part with many thousands # their
horses, most of them being Of fine
blood from splendid imported or do
mestic thoroughbred stock Horses
became cheap-in many western
parts too cheap for anything but
killing aud canning. But vast
droves came southwark to the only
market where, as happened this year,
farmers had money to purchase bar
gains And they got them What
our farmers chiefly wanted were
mares for breeding purposes, as wei!
as use AS mississippi has become
a great grazing country, she Is pre-
pairing also to become a great horse,
mule and cattle grower, not only to
maintain home supply, but sur
plus for sale abroad. Instead Of de
ploring the advent of western horses.
South Carolina should. if of a busi-
ness turn, avail herself OF the
western animals. at bargain, and
prepare, as Mississippi has done, to
turn the advantage to account for
future usufruct. She cannot raise
horses and mules sufficiently without
the stock, and Providence has de
livered that into her hands. At least
that has been the case in Mssls-