The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1904-12-31
SUGAR SQUIBs.

So01A w ea1N@s
Items of Interest from Field and Factory.
Progress of the Grinding Cam paign
in Ascension and Elsewhere.
The weather bureaus prediction that
colo weather would follow the rainy
spell of the early part of the week was
verified Tuesday, when the mercury
began TO fall and stiff north wind
came along and stirred things up. The
thermometer registered several de-
grees below the freezing point Tues
day, Wednesday and Thursday nights,
and the weather seemed all the colder
on account of the contrast with the un-
seasonable temperatures which pre-
vailed Saturday, Sunday and Mon
day. From present indications the
cold wave has about spent its force
and the sunny south will once more
bask in the. pleasant sunshine for
which it is noted.
The cold snap did not catch the
planters sleeping and very little dam
age was inflicted on the cane crop by
the freeze. The splendid service af-
forded by the weather bureau has been
of great value TO the planters during
the present season, and it is largely
due to the efficiency and zeal of the
government s weather officials tn at the
fine crop of 1904 will be harvested with
an extremely small percentage of loss.
This has been tenants year, in the
sugar section of Louisiana-that is to
say, the tenant who rented land and
sold his cane by he ton and the p1anta-
ton owner who cultivated cane crop
to be disposed of in like manner have
made larger share of profit from the
years labor and investment than the
factory owners who bought the cane
and transformed it into sugar and mo-
lasses. The average tonnage per acre
has been very much larger than usual,
yields of thirty and thirty-five tons be-
ing common this season from land that
gave only sixteen TO twenty-five tons
last year, whereas the average product
of sugar perton Of camel las been consid-
erably less than was obtained in the,
preceding season. The cost OF ma
nipulating theseane at the factory has
therefore been increased, as there was
more cane to grind and more juice to
evaporate, involving greater expend-
iture Of time and labor and augmented
consumption of fuel to produce a
relatively equal quantity Of sugar.
Forum ately the market prices OF the
product are higher than those which
prevailed year ago. and the manu-
facturer is thus protected from loss, but
his pro rata of earnings las not been
equal to that of the cane producer. In
some favored localities the sugar yield
has been approximately as large per
ton as it was last year, and tenants
whose contracts embrace the s'suerose
content" clause as a basis for fixing
the price they are to receive for their
cane have been paid as high as 81. 10
ton.
It is announced that Mrs. James S.
Tuttle has sold her well-knoWn Laurel
Ridge plantation, in the lower portion
of Iberyille parish, to- Theodule
Schexnaydre, of ST. J ames, for S65, 900
cash, and an indication tn at the plIr-
chaser did not get the worst OF the
bargaiusis furnished by a report that
MIR. Schexnaydre has received and
declined an offer of $4,000 for the
property. Laurel Ridge is stu ated
back from the river, just above the
boundary line between Ascension and
Iberville parishes, and contains S00I
acres of the best kind of land in high
state of guilty alton, whilethe residence,
factory and other Improvements are il
keeping with the superior and al
together desirable character of the
plantation. The purch aser's sons are
interested with him in the new invest
ment, and it may be regarded as a |
foregone conclusion that Laurel Ridge
will be conducted by them with the same
degree OF success that has attended |
their agricultural operations in ST. /
James, where they are justly regarded
among the most capable and prosper
GUS planters of that parish.