The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1899-09-13
Sugar. Making in Florida.

II. X. Rose, the DullueF, we UelleVe
of the St. Cloud sugar mill, the only
modern sugar mill in Florida, contri
butes to the Times Union and Citizen
very interesting article on the sub
ject of sugar-making. In his state
ment he figures a profit Of nearly 1OC
per cent, tile cost of the plant being
nearly made in one year.
Now if Mr.. Rose could put these
statements into guaranty there
would be such a pouring of millions
into FLORIDA, and such an immigration
as would test the capacity Of railroads
to convey the seekers of such wealth
Did the st. Cloud sugar mill, fol
years standing idle, pay such returnsi
Mr.. Rose said it paid enormous profits
while he controlled it. Did Mr.. Rose
sell OH basis of making nearly 100 pei
cent. profit annually? If so he should
have an abundance of capital where
with to locate plants that would give
such golden returns.
But st. Cloud is standing denial, q
menace to the introduction of capital
in sugar-makiDg in Florida. The av
erage profits of cane growing and SUI
gar-making III Louisiana, or any other
part of the United States, are not sui
fcient to draw capital away from the
investment in per cent United States
bonds.
The contingencies in cane-growins
are not unlike most other farm pro
ducts. Sugar making has to contend
with risks encountered by other lines
of business, and investors are not fools
neither are they fooled by any such
statements as those of Mr.. Rose, which
we publish below:
Il will state that a modern, up-to
date factory, with all the latest Ia
bOr-saving and economical devices
similar to those used by the best and
most prominent cane and beet sugar
growers, "dOuble'' or triple" mills,
"Bagassie burners modern clarifi
ers, - FILTERS" multiple effects" "cen
t';f""als," and "granulatOrs' will turn
out dry granulated sugar for 25 pei
cent less than an open kettle or open
steam train factory can turn out brown
sugar, and at the same time will in
crease the yield of sugar over the ole
open apparatus not less than 25 pei
cent. from the same quantity an(
quality of cane, while the product will
readily sell in any part of the United
States for p per cent. greater price
than raw sugar.
"a Factory to turn out $4,000 pounds
of granulated sugar per day can be
erected in Florida for $125,0OO. AL
lowing the raw material (cane or sir
up) to cost SO per cent of the selling
price of sugar, $4,000 pounds will pay
the grower 81 400; cost Of manufacture
ing (75 cents per 100 pOunds), 1915;
net profits Of factory per day, $1,O25;
gross daily proceeds $1,000.
hese figures are based on present
prices of sugar, i. e., 5 3-S cents fol-
standard granulated. The factory
should run 100 days, showing a net
profit of $1O2,5 per season. Such a
factory will require 300 tons of cane
Tor it's equivalent in sirup) per day
and will consume the product Of some
1900 AGREES Of average Florida cane
There is not town or village in the
State from Jacksonville to Pensacola
or from Jacksonville to Tampa or Mi
ami that cannot furnish within a
short distance twice the required acre.
age for such a mill. A thousand such
mills would be required to produce the
five billion pounds imported annually
Gin 1897 we imported 4,919, 9O5, 73e
pounds).
An open steam train factory, to make
brown sugar and strip, handling say
100 tons Cor five acres) per day, car
be erected complete for $4,000 to 800,
OOO Tho uioI1 nor ton of sugar C9ne