Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1902-11-29
LOUISIANA SUGAR CROP

New Orleans, Nov. 6.-TLe grinding
season In the sugar belt OF Louisiana
is now In full blast and 270 factories
scattered over the State are working
night and day in an effort to take OF
the crop of sugar cane before the ad.
: ert OF the severe weather OF the lat.
ter I art of December.
Owing to delays. due to scarcity Of
labor experienced last year, the
freezes of the last part Of December.
1901, caught much cane still standing
IN the fields, and considerable loss wss
suffered by sugar planters as a conse'
quence. There is naturally anxiety
to avoid a similar experience this SEA
sOii.
Owing to delays. due to scarcity Of
labor the sugar cane crop will not
yield the tonnage at the mill scales
which an average season generally
produces. While in some favored tis'
tricts there is no complaint on this
score the cane generally Is light
weight.
While this shortage in tonnage OF
cane will be In some degree Offset oy
the richness of the juices, due to tho
recent dry and cool weather. II is not
considered at all probable that the
crop OF sugar will come up to a good
average.
A good year should give a produ2.
ton of about 100000 long tons OF su
gar. Good authorities believe that
100000 long tons will represent the
crop this season.
As an Offset to the comparatively
light yield Of cane must be reckoned
the excellent harvesting weather
which is being experienced and the
more plentiful supply Of labor repor'ei
generally by sugar producers.
These advantages will permit an
early wind.up to the season, and viii
greatly reduce the sugar house and
| field expenses. Last year labor was
so scarce that the grinding season was
unduly protracted. resulting, as alrna
dy stated, in considerable losses Of
cane through the freezing weather late
In the season.
On many plantations the factories
had to be stopped several times owinl
to the fact that the small force of la
borers In the field could not cut cant
fast enough to keep the mills supplied
There is no danger OF a repetition O
this experience this year.
Another great economy effected IL
harvesting is the use of fuel oil IN
stead of coal. One-half of all the 81
gar factories are now. equipped will
appliances for burning fuel oil an
all have secured requisite supplies q
the oil from the Beaumont fields.
It is estimated that the saving In th'
cost Of fuel compared with coal will
he quite 33 per cent and in some casei
more.
Sugar factories have been great Goa
consGmers In the past, owing to III
amount of steam required to Operate
the machinery and to evaporate III
Juices of the canes. The employment
Of oil not only saves in the cost Of tn
fuel itself but also in the matter of ID
DOR.
while there is no doubt at all Q
the complete success OF fuel oil i
taking of the sugar crop It may be 81
rloUsly questioned II oil will pern''
nently supplant coal in the sugar gu
tfict.
Already oil is becomlnP more diff
cult TO obtain at moderate price, 81
the unmistakable tendency to rcan
greater quantities of Beaumont oil
certain TO Increase the cost. There
rcint when oil will cease to be NOR
economical than coal as a fuel.
Just how soon that point VIII b
reached IL at all is, of course, prot
lena teal, but the way in which proc
have advanced makes II probable Ia
coal 10 not to be crowded out o. III
fuel market altogether in this pars 4
tho country.
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