Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1906-07-19
~ n. z. BLAKEslEE. JseAss..

the interest being shown in the matter Of
preparing and marketing the syrup crop
of the State. A number of interesting
articles on the subject have been received
and will BE- given space later. The fol-
lowing. from Mr.. W. b. Mercier, of Cen
treville, 10 Of especial interest. Mr.. Mer-
ei~r i. . graduate Of the A. & NJ Col
lez-. class of iss2, and u . successful
farmer. He is wen informed. and what
he SAYS il worthy Of careful cousiders-
ton.
There seems to be hut few Of our
people who realize that Mississippi will
produce sugar cane equal to Louisiana
in every respect. and the hill lands pro-
duce a much superior quality in saecha-
rine matter. I am sure that cane can
be grown prodtably in any part Of the
State. Il looks more than strange that
a majority of our people go on year after
vear, eating glucose. mixtures and the
various substitutes for syrup. when pure
and wholesome syrup can b. raised 50
easily. II will produce anywhere from
20 to 500 gallons per acre. owing, of
course. to soil and attention given it, 1t
u a easily cultivated as q cotton crop.
The hardest part il the grinding. and
this j. not 80 bad when the farmer fixes
up for il. Besides, YOU can always get
help to grind cane when YOU can't for
other work II there Is anything crowd
of negroes enjoy more than another, it
10 taking off n grinding
seems to have been, how to keep the
syrup from sugaring, also from ferment-
ing or souring when hot weather comes
This can Be readily done BY putting up
in Jugs. cans. bottles, fruit jars. etc.
The incest way to put mp for home use
in small families Is in pint and quart
fruit ars. By this means YOU can have
perfectly fresh syrup each day. a il will
begin to ferment in hot weather within
forty~igbt hours after the air strikes
it. Jugs are good for home use or local
trade. but for shipping. the tin can Is
the only thing practicable and safe
have been usinx the gallon can for sew
eral years. and il has always been salts
factory Have kept syrup perfectly
fresh and Just a. from the pan for three
or four wears.
Il believe that am safe in asserting
that there was put up in this section
last fall 10000 gallons in cans, and IL
has all been sold at profitable prices. and
now the local markets are practically
hare of good syrup. I think there is
scarcely limit to the amount that could
he sold If the business was gone at sys-
tematieally and pushed a. any other in
drstry must be tn succeed IL will GER
tainly help to diversity our crops, and
venture the assertion that ii ve put the
energy and time on it that Is put on cot.
ton, we would make three times the clear
profit on the crop, do il with more ea~e
with Just as much certainty of ready
sales and much more certainty of q uni
form price
Cans may be either gallon. half-gal-
Ion or quarts. and in some instances
smaller. The gallon and half gallon cans
are supplied, if one desires, with self
sealing tops; the smaller cans would have
to be soliered, which can be done very
rapidly with little praetsee- The syruE
should be run into the cans or other ves-
sells while hot from the evaporator. n
reheating takes from it that peculiar and
most desirable flavor found in ehosre cans
h. 49, L.. L. ~
boiling just To the point before il begins
To granulate in the cook pans. OF ts
about IS or 36 degrees, Baume SUGAR by
arOmeter. a simple instrument which ne
eursteiy gives the density OF the syrup
The syrup should never be allowed ID
cool before sealing air tight, ii matter,
not what character Of vessel il i put in
IL VIII keep all right in barrels and keg,
a. bong as the weather i cool, but a.
~cou A. warm weather begins. nothins
but small air tight vessels will Preserv,
1t property.
Il hope to see the day when eannins
syrup for the general markets will b,
one of Nfississippi's leading industries"
Those interested in the handling AMI
marketing of syrup are urged to cut ou
and preserve this article. as well as tho>s
by Mr. Harrington and others who hav,
been kind enough to furnish them
The Diversified Farming Speeiaf' r
be operated over the lines of the nlinoi,
Central. Yazoo & Mississippi Valley and
other roads in Mississippi this fall is be
ginning to attract attention throughout
the sections TO be visited IL is. in fact
comprehensive farmers institute on
better their condition in life and adopt
improved methods an opportunity OF
learning something from practical mer
who will speak from experience and in
terms that will be easily understood BY
all The writer is in receipt Of the fol
lowing letter from Capt j. r. Merry
general immigration agent of the l. {
system, and who, with Mr.. Claire. in
dustrial commissioner of the same sys
TEN. are deeply interested in this train
asd its possibilities of good
H. z Biakeslee, Commissioner, Jackson
Miss:
My Dear Sir-I am sure that il viii
sfethf YOU. as IL VIII All o1 ouf fffenus
IN Mississippi, to know that Prof. Hol
den, of the Iowa Agricultural College
and the noted corn expert, has advised
me that he will be with US on the -Di
versified Farming Special during thu
month OF October. Probably no man in
this country has made such thorough
stuav Of corn production The enclosed
article from one Of our Iowa papers viii
en- - -n,s
Ne 's doing in this State, and ! am sure
that the speeches he viii make in Mis-
sissippi viii be full of just such practical
information as viii be profitable to your
farmers Mississippi Is naturally ecrr
as well ~ . cotton State. and believe
that more attention will BE paid to -ths
cultivation of corn in the futme thar
there has been IN the past. Already il
has been demonstrated that alfalfa can
&c successfully Frc-r IN Mississippi
VIZ rIertv cf cn-r rnd alfalfa. .hsre +