The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-08-04
WILL MAKE A FREE TEST.
Continued from Eighth Page.

them on his St. Sophie plantation in st.
Bernard parish These canes had been
previously introduced from the Island Of
ST. Eustachius and painted on St mons
Island at the mouth of Savannah river.
by Mr.. King, of Georgia. Our present
purple or blue cane is believed 10 be a
degenerate variety of this cane, and re-
cent experiments would justify this be-
lief. Since 1925 many other varieties have
been introduced, but none have as yet
proven worthy of supplantng the purple
ana striped varieties. The sugar expert
ment station has already introduced over
100 varieties, and is now testing them
upon the grounds.
Capt. Purse was very much grathed
at the tone of Pref Stubbs' letter and
especially by his generous offers as to
making a test of Georgia and Florida
cane. The line upon which the subject
has been heretofore discussed has been
that of testing the capacity of the syrup
but II would seem to be much more prac-
ticel TO make tests from the cane direct
and thus to do away with the interme-
date process of converting the cane juice
into syrup. However, it would doubtless
be well to make both tests.
Prof. Stubs generous offer will I'M
doubtedly be awaited Of" said Capt. Purse.
and steps will be taken to furnish him
with a sufficient quantity of Georgia and
Florida cane this fall to enable a salts
factory test to be made"
Mayor Myers, who returned this week
from New York, was asked what success
he had in interesting the Northern sugar
refners in the question of a refinery at
Savannah.
''As to a refinery on a large scale for
the purpose of converting crude Cuban
sugar into the refined article" said Mayor
Myers, the gentlemen with whom | con-
suited advised against il. They said that
Of
fineries in the United states which are
not now in operation and that it was very
evident that the reason for this is that
the business is not sufficiently profitable
at present.
"They were more ready to be interested
in a plant for the refining of Georgia
syrup into sugar, and stated that If proofs
of actual results should be furnished them
showing that there is a profitable margin
in the business, that there would be no
difficulty in interesting capital. l showed
them some of Mr. Tillman's letters and
discussed the arguments advanced by
him. They said that they had no doubt
that a few barrels of syrup carefully pre-
pared by an expert, such as Mr.. Tilman
doubtless is, would show the results
claimed. This might not prove to be the
case with the general run of the output
upon which a refinery would have to de
pend for its supply. They were also
supply. 1 assured them that there need
be no hesitation upon this score. Thar
with any reasonable price offered for the
article the supply of syrup would be more
than ample.
The decision which was reached after
some discussion was that an actual test
must be made of a number of barrels of
syrup taken indiscrimnately from the
crop of this section. say one barrel from
each county Specially selected barrels
would not give a fair test. What it is
wanted to know is the sugar capacity of
the ordinary Georgia syrup. The trouble
which confronts us in making this test
is that the Northern sugar refneries are
equipped for converting the raw sugar
into the refined article. They have no
apparatus for converting syrup into SUI
gar. 1t may be that we can get the
United States agricultural department TO
make this test. The matter is certainly
one of sufficient importance to interest the
department
at is of the highest importance that this
test should be made" said Mr.. Myers, 'as
it is evident that we can do nothing until
actual results are obtained. I am willing
to go in with any half dozen others and
bear my share of the expense of having
the test made. The sooner this is done the
better"
II may be interesting TO know that the
news of what was probably the first SUI
gar mill erected in the United States are
to be found I'm Chatham county. Col John
Screven, in discussing the subject OF SUI
gar refining in the office of Capt Purse
recalled this fact The miF was
erected on oakland Island across Whining
ton river from Causton's Bluff over CEN
fury ago by members of the well-known
McJuan family. Sugar raising was then
regarded as one of the coming Industries
Of this section. The development of the
nd nd Ia Of
cotton gin distracted attention from sugar
growing and but little was accomplished.
Some measure of success must have been
obtained, however. to attract the atten-
lion of Louisiana planters to Georgia cane.