The Savannah morning news., 1901-11-19

from the frost, as the grinding had not
yet been begun. This crop, too, be-
cause of the weather conditions that
had obtained at the other places visit
ed, was not up to the average, though
Mr.. Olliff counts on getting an average
yield of $50 gallons of syrup to the
acre. Last season Mr.. Olliff planted
only forty acres, but found that
the cane, aside from it's value in syrup,
was also so valuable as stock food that
he increased the crop this year to
eighty acres and will plant the same
amount next season.
Best Crop Seen.
From Statesboro the trip was with
out stop until Adrian was reached,
where by far the best stand of cane
seen on the whole journey was found.
Even Capt. James admitted that it was
above the average. Some of the
stalks, stripped, measured over seven
feet in hight and weighed between 5
and pounds. It's output in syrup is
expected to be between $50 and 500 gal
Ions to the acre, and this, Capt. James
says, he has a ready market for at
from 40 cents a gallon, in barrel, to
60 cents a gallon in cans.
This years crop will be the more
profitable to him in that, though it is
customary to use between 600 and 500
pounds of commercial fertilizer to the
acre, sometimes even 1000 pounds, this
crop was grown with the use of only
400 pounds. Capt. James is the pioneer
in the use of the cane top as stock
feed; this year he will also use the
bigasse for the same purpose, and next
year will experiment with the latter
looking to the possibility of curing it
for use during the winter.
Only the cane from sixty acres will
be turned into syrup this year. the
remainder Of the crop being
saved for seed for the coming
season, when $50 acres viii be planted
Capt. James also was the pioneer in
experimenting with sugar making but
though he succeeded fairly well, he has
abandoned this work, as he finds that
syrup is much the more profitable.
IN practically all of the places visited
the cane that is grown is of the COM
mon or purple variety. Capt James
has grown in addition to this a small
quantity of the green cane, but though
1t gives a finer colored syrup and one
more delicately favored than the pro-
duct of the purple cane, it is less hardy
than that and consequently less fit for
the soil ana climate of Adrian and the
surrounding country, and therefore, IS
not, and Will not, be planted to any
extent
Specimens of this cane were taken
by DR.. Wiley, however, and also spec
linens of the same variety from Mr.
Ollin's place, and, as is the case with
the purple cane, analyses of them will
be made. AT Adrian, also, DR.. Wiley
secured some fine specimens of the rib
bon cane. which likewise will be anu-
lyzed.
The Party Entertained.
Throughout the entire trip the party
was received with the most cordial
hospitality and not only was shown
everything connected with the cane in
dustry, but so many social attentions
as well. that many of them, especially
invitations to breakfasts, dinners and
suppers, were of necessity declined, not
only because of the limited time at the
disposal of the party, but because of
lack of a further capacity for gas
trononic indulgencies
Breakfast was served on the train
and supper also, while dinner was had
at the Green House, Adrian. This
meal DR.. Wiley declared one of the
best that he had ever eaten. a state
ment that received the full concur
renee of the entire party.
To-day Dr.. Wiley and party, except
Mr.. Noise, but with the addition of Mr.
James Menzies, general freight agent
of the Plant System. will leave for
Waycross, where they will be Joined
by Mr.. kirkland. division superintend-
ent of the Plant System, under whose
guidance visits will be made to cane
plantations at Mt Kinder Lou. Quit
man, ThomasYille, and Cairo. Al
each of these places. as was
the case yesterday, the mills and fields
viii be visited and specimens and pho
tographs secured. From Thomas villc
the party viii return to Waycross. and
thence go to Jacksonville where. to-
morrow, DR.. Wiley will deliver an ad-
dress on cane growing and allied topics
before the Florida Agriculture Society