The Savannah morning news., 1901-12-25
A PLEA FOR SYRUP.
A Strong Argument for an Expert
ment Station in South Georgia.

ment Station in South Georgia.
Nahunta, Ga, Dec. 23.--I notice the
articles in your valuable paper in re-
lation to Cuban sugar and reciprocity.
/ heartily indorse Mr.. Brantley's views
and says,as he says, that we have moth
ing to fear from Cuban sugar in Geor-
gia or Florida. What we ought to do
is to cultivate the sugar cane for the
producing of table syrup. There is
vast field open for this article of food.
We have over seventy millions of peo-
pie of our own, and l don't think 5 per
cent. of them ever tasted our Geor-
gia and Florida syrups. There has
been in many parts of this and other
countries such a demand for syrup that
the chemist has been resorted to to
supply the demand, and the best arti- 1
Gle that they have produced is glucose, n
and glucose is manufactured to-day in
the United States alone to the amount
of half a million gallons a day. Just
think of it! Now, the best glucose is
selling to-day for cents per pound,
so that gallon of glucose costs at the 4
very least 80 cents. Now, remember.
this is for a spurious article. No one
could eat glucose alone on his pam
cakes. 1t has to be adulterated with
New Orleans or Georgia syrups. Now,
| ask why is this? We have been max
ing Georgia and Florida syrup for over
100 years. and yet we have not been
able to place it on the market as an
article of human food to any great ex-
tent Yet every person who eats
Georgia syrup says it is the finest and
purest article they ever ate. This
shows that there is a reason why we
have not been able to make a market
or a demand for this syrup. The peo-
pie of this section of country under
stand the reason why, and at the Cas-
sava and Sugar Cane Convention held
at Brunswick on April Is last there was
a resolution passed asking our legisla-
tors at Atlanta to establish an expert
ment station in South Georgia for the
purpose of instructing the farmers how
to cultivate and manufacture sugar
cane properly and on scientific princi-
pies; but our legislators thought best
not to help in this line. Now, at thar
same convention, while / was making
an address on the question of produce
ing a finer and purer syrup, so as we
could compete with the finest grades of
syrups made in Vermont, or any other
part of the country, l stated that the
syrup / was showing and making in
Wayne county, could be shipped around
the world and back to Brunswick or
Savannah and it would be just as good
when 1T got back as it was the day 1t
lef. But, our friend, Capt. d. G. Purse
of Savannah denied 1T could be done, and
stated that the Louisiana Planters AS
ISOLATION would pay $4,000 to any per-
son who would make sugar cane
syrup that would not ferment. Well,
took that challenge up, and l sent sew
eral samples to Brunswick. They did
not ferment. also put two half-gallon
cans on board the Mallory Line
steamer with instructions to carry
them 5000 on 5000 miles during the hot
test months, June, July and August.
Those vessels sail back and forth be-
tween New York and Brunswick. We
took one can out and tested the syrup
after travelling 5000 miles, and it was
just as fine as the day we put it on
board. The other can was given in
| charge of the engineer and he carried
| it in the engine room where the tenn
perature ran up to 100 degrees, and on
the 18th day of September l called a
| meeting of the Brunswick Board of
Trade, and / opened the can of syrup
| that had travelled 5000 miles under the
severest test, and in the hottest of our
weather. 1t was pronounced by all pres
| ent as perfect syrup and of excellent
| quality Now what did I prove? I
proved that we can manufacture Geor-
gia and Florida sugar cane syrup that
can be shipped to any part of the world
stuffs to sweeten up the tempers of the
Russians and other European people.
| Now / say that our Department of Ag-
riculture at Washington could not do
better act than help the people of
| the South in respect to this agricul-
tural product We need more light on
this subject, and we must have it, or
we may go on for another 100 years
making an Indifferent article of syrup.
| BY the establishing of a government
| experiment and refining station to
teach the people to properly produce
and refine the syrup. they will not only
| help a deserving people to make happy
homes. but will enhance the value Cf
the piney lands of Georgia and Flor
ida, not 100 fold, but 500 fold For
| there are hundreds of thousands of
acres of splendid sugar cane lands ly-
ing waste that might be made wealthy
| producers, not only to the people but
TO the nation at large by acts of recip-
rocity, shipping syrups and getting
other products in return, and we
would not object to little gold.
]. NJ. Jardine.