The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1898-11-26
IN SOUTHERN CANEBRAKES.
Picturesque Life in the South
Atlantic States.
Where the Negroes Revel In thu
Sweetness of the Cane-The Sugar
Industry of Georgia and
! Florida.

The canebrakes of Georgia and Flor
ida are but little known, as compared
with the sugar plantations OF Louisiana
and Cuba, but the making of sugar and
molasses has long been favored rnr-
suit in Georgia and is fast becoming
prominent feature in Florida. The
transient visitor to these states, how
ever, rarely sees the cane growing or
witnesses the crude processes or sugar
manufacture here in vogue, for the rea-
son that the canebrakes are usually lar
away from the beaten paths of travel
and accessible by devious and not tlto-
gether attractive byways.
Before the war almost every planter
in southern Georgia had his cane patch
and mill whereby he made his supply
of low. grade sugar and molasses for
home use or for sale and barter, ard it
was not infrequent that an excellent
article of rum was produced from the
same source.
From the wreck of these great plan
tations after the war the former
owners and the erstwhile slaves slowly
produced order from chaos. The fact
that the tilling of the cane as well as
the grinding and boiling of the juice
had been left entirely to the slaves was
the cause which led to the now general
condition of the Georgia sugar indus
try being largely in the hands OF ne
groes. And picturesque phase OF our
national life is this pursuit as followed
in the south Atlantic states.
The mode Of raising sugar cane in
Georgia differs in many respects from
the practice of the Louisiana planters.
In the latter state the heavy and wet
| soil often makes necessary the employ
ment of three and four mules to each
plow in breaking the soil for the ilrst
| planting of the cane, and much vdlua-
| BILE ground is wasted, for between the
rows deep furrow or ditch must be
made for drainage. In planting,
pieces of sugar cane containing two or
more ''eyes" or joints are placed in the
ground When fall comes and the
grain is cut the roots throw out new
branches of suckers, which are known
| as fttIOOIlS, dilI~lilCSO LII III liA> ~ . -
ming of the next crop, and so on year by
year until the vitality of the stock is
exhausted. In Louisiana cane must be
renewed every three or four years,
while in Georgia and Florida one plant
! ing viii last for seven or nine years.
In Louisiana the cane rarely tassels,
while it does so regularly along the At.
lantic coast. The yield in the creole
state is about 1000 pounds per acre, but
near Savannah the planters get l.5oC
to '2,CO0 pounds per acre, equal to 2t
barrels of sirup. A good cane Will yield
over gallon of juice and its height
varies from to 12 feet. 1t is usual to
plant coru between the rows of cane,
| and as the former is taken in long be-
fore November, when the cane is ready
to cut, the two make good companion
crops.
! When the cane is ready to cut begins
the happy season of the negroes. The
ancient cane mill is tinkered up and
! cleaned for yet another period OF use
illness, barrels are coppered, furnaces
looked after and the boiling kettles
secured and polished. The single mule
on the place is attached to the long
sweep of the mill and begins the mo-
notonous tramp around the circle worn
deep by many earlier generations OF
mules at the same task.
The cane is fed to the vertical rollers
at speed equal to the pace of the mo-
tive power and as the mule is usually OF
venerable age and the negro is rather
languid in his movements, the efe't l:
very similar to the ancient saw con
corning the mills of the gods. How
ever, the juice quickly makes it's up
pearance in the funnel beneath the
rolls, and it is led to barrel, the mouth
of which is covered with coarse cloth
acting as a Sieve The color of the saI
is gray, foamy ash, and by no means IN
viting, but it is eagerly drank by tht
= plantation hands, and in consequence
close watch is kept upon the prec'ou'
liquid by the owner.
From the mill the juice is taken Il
the boiling kettles or pans and aitel
many hoilings and skimmings ovel
fires fed by the refuse cane or "trash
the sap is reduced to thick, sticky
seri-huid mass, which is ladled int
hogsheads and set away to cool. Ih'
liquid portions of the sap drip into re
ceivers and form the molasses so dea
to negroes hearts. The solid residue i
sugar, none too clean and none too at
tractive for others, but all sufficient fo
/ the natives A general holiday and Gel
ebration usually follows the close
; sugar-rnaking, and in the degree ina
. the turn out has been satisfactory. tb
fun swells or ebbs.
The chewing or sucking OF gree
cane is universal habit in the srga
belt, and the juicy stalks take the piac
|, of sweetmeats in many humble cab
in, while forming a dainty by no moan
despised in higher circles.-N. 7. lie
corder. /.
u F1oodine Ont DiseaAo.