The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-04-18

a Use Found at Last for the "Eiack strap
of Louisian. sugar Plantations.

of Louisiana sugar Plantations
NEW ORLEANS. April The LOUIS,
lana sugar planiershave at last iounu
use for one OF their chief products VNe
lOw-grdde molasses. or black strap 40
it is commonly called. This stun has oeen
accommodating In their sugar houses =.
years. The planters were unable 10 SUI -
or get rid of IL in any other way
Formerly Louisiana. or New oIioa,9'
molasses. as IL was usually calico was III
general demand. sold readily at Il eoou
price, and constituted one OF inc nno9t
important items Of revenue TO the p'dh'e''
but with the Introduction OF the ee"lI'"-
gal machinery and other similar iihp'o|'-
ments the yield Of sugar to TO the Ton o.
! cane juice increased. and the amount vi
saucharine left behind in the mola7seS
became less and less. until hhaily theIe
remained only a thick black nuld LOOKING
like liquid tar and having "a slightly sweet
/ flavor. For q few seasons the plaNtclS
succeeded In getting rid or most OF theIr
mOiasses. but the rapidlty decreasing
prices left them little. if any, proht. ana
the molasses was worked over Win the
better grades and sold IN the rutal ul7-
trlcts OF tho South. where IL was pilh-
clpally consumed by negroes ana poor
whites. When. however. the moldsses. or
UlfEk elTdU. as 1T lFkaAA ~ N" 'f
sank to 3 aid 4 cents a gallon. it ceased
to nay 10 sell or shin n. That u.s.. the cost
Of cooDerage and freight was greater than
the value Of the mOlasses. The cost or
a wolasses barrel is $50. and the contents
az 3 cents Il gallon, were worth only $Loo'
and al ( cents only g. II II were shipped
to New Orleans with a freight at 81 dollar
the planter lost from so cents to 81 a bar
rel. lie naturally declined TO sell AT a
loss. and kept his molasses on the plan
tation. waiting FOR better prices.
For the last two or three years the great
problem in the sugar district has been
what 20 do with the black moiasses Only
a small proportion OF each years crop was
sold. and the amount left over az the end
Of the season accumulated and steadily
increased until there were from m.OO0.WN
TO 80 100000 gallons on hand. There was
no storage room for II. for the planters
had 20 get rid Of IL each year 10 make
room for the new crop. Some or them
dug immense ponds in the open nelds. m
which they dumped the molasses by the
million gallons, 10 remain there IN case 2
might be I'm such demand ut any time as
TO pay for its shipment 10 market. Others
despaired Of any improvement IN price.
and millions Of gallons were turned into
the Mississippi and other streams In the
sugar district. The mOlasses 10 the Mis-
sissippi did no harm. and merely sweet
ened the great river a trihe. hut hat pour
cd into the Teche soon ruined that beau
tiful stream. once deemed the most
picturesque I'm Louisiana. 10 killed of the
fish and aquatic plants; Il contaminated
the bayou and converted % into a foii
sewer. and IL drove away many Of the
planters living along SIS banks. 10
rendered IL impossible 10 operate mills
on the banks. or even TO run steamers. as
the boilers rusted and were ruined by the
mOlasses In the water. Finally the people
rose against the nuisance. The United
states Court was appealed 10. and the
Grand Jury indicted some Of the offend
ing planters for dumping the stun into a
navigaole stream. This action broke the
practice up.
But while this mitigated the nuisance II
did not get rid OF the m0lasses. which con-
tinued 10 accumulate worse than ever,
and the problem OF how to get rid Of ~
became more pressing Last year IL was
admitted that the Louisiana planters had
some 2j5. 900. O00 gallons of molasscs % give
away 10 any one VINO could find a use
for IL and could make 10 pay the cost Of
removal. The notice went far and wide.
and the Louisiana Sugar Planters Asso-
citation. the Postmaster al New Orleans,
and the newspapers have received thous-
ands Of communications and propositions
since then from an the four quarters or
the world-from Patagonia. New Zealand
and Siberia. There We're propositions 10
convert the m0lassos into rum. and one
factory was erected for that purpose; but
then the cost OF this manufacture IS great.
a large capital IS needed. and the demand
for rum is not great enough 20 take of the
anffra I QWfefUnu. unnfnH.ng rT0D. The E4 me
objection existed as 10 the manufacture
OF vinegar. Other suggestions were the
use OF the mOlasses as a fertilizer. as a
food FOR stock. and as a fuel. II could be
furnished on the plantation as fuel at TIE
rate OF about 81 a ton-the price which
coal commands there. IL made a good fuel
although Il called for a special furnace
for its consumption. \ number OF the
sugar factories have used II as fuel with
advantage. but this got rid Of only a por-
ton Of the molasses crop. and did not
result in the shipment Of any Of it out Of
the state.
Last year q number Of planters expcr-
imented with 10 as q food for stock and
cattle. At first "a steady diet Of molasscs
was found FAR from beneficial 20 the ami ]
mails, but after many experiments it was
discovered what proportion Of molasses
could be mixed with the corn, hay, or oats
10 produce the best results. The scheme
worked successfully. and the demand for
BLACK strap" as a food for cattle has
steadily grown until 10 Is now In demand
ia other states. particularly IN Texas. The
Texas railroads nave made such favor
able rates 10 the Western or cattle section
Of the State. Tor mQlasses In bulk or tanks
that black strap" can be had dow there
cheaper than any other kind Of food. and
10 promises 10 become the chief food de-
pended on for fattening cattle. II Is be-
lieved that the demand for black strap
this year will be sufficient 20 consume the
entire crop. and that the planters will be
left with no molasscs on their hands. As
the crop averages some l25OJ tons. equiv
alent as a food TO 1)o).00 bushels OF corn
or oats. some idea can be formed Of the
Importance Of this new business both 70
Louisiana and Texas. Texas cattle IN
future will be Jed with molasses. not corn.
or the business Of fattening cattle Tor the
Western market may be transferred 10
Louisiana In order 10 have the cattle near
err 10 the sugar mills.-New York sun.
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