The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1906-04-11

cent?, practically no labor is required
after the cane is placed on the carrier
the product is ready for immediate
consumption. Such a house should
make none but graduated sugar; a
cost not to exceed that of crude
sugar or syrup, with a much greater
yield These mills or factories pur
chasing their supplies from the farmer
can afford to pay for the cane deliv
cred, a price equal to the sum now
obtained for his crude syrup, now
made in a crude and wasteful manner
saving the farmer the annoyance anC
cost of manufacture and packages, and
at the same time make large profits
on the capital invested.
| advocate the central mill plan
purchasing cane from the farmers
that the best results may be had both
in the field, and in the factory, the
farmer devoting his time, skill and
sible crop of high grade cane, the
miller, to the most economical meth
DDS of making the best sugar, re-
ceIving the greatest reward possible
for his skill in his particular line.
l believe the foregoing figures are
conservative, based on average con-
ditions as they now prevail; that these
profits can be largely increased by
the intelligent cooperation of the Ag-
ricultural Department and Experiment
Stations working along the lines, and
following the lead of the Louisiana
Sugar Experiment Station in the de-
velopment of the plant, and improve
ment in methods of manufacture.
While the "cane belt extends some
one hundred miles north of the Mexi-
can Gulf, and fine crops are made to
the northern edge of the belt, there
are certain drawbacks in sugar grow
ing on an extensive scale in the nor
thern parts of the belt. The element
of frost detracts from the fullest ma
turity, and limits these areas of the
fields to a large extent.
AS to climate: Florida's climate is
certainly superior to that of any other
State for sugar growing. Our "rainy
season" is during the growing months
when required. A wet fall or winter
is the exception. A dry fall and
winter insures the ripeness of the cane
and quick harvest; a wet fall or
winter retards the ripening, and en-
tails heavy expense for harvest. A
killing" frost seldom occurs in Flor
ida before January. Grinding begins
October IS in Louisiana and seldom
before November I in Florida, insur-
ing thirty additional days for maturing
the crop. In South Florida, killing
frosts are of rare occurrence, and
grinding continues from December I
to February. In tropical Florida
south of the 27th parallel, frost to
kill oranges, lemons, lines or tropical
cane is unknown. The climate OF
west, north and middle Florida has
full thirty days longer growing sea
son than Louisiana, while South Flor
ida has forty-five to sixty. Further
south. in Dade and Lee counties, be-
low the twenty-seventh parallel, where
vast areas of rich land. in large bodies
can be had, the plantation or gang
system will prove most satisfactory,
where the planter OWNS the factory
and cultivates the cane also. This
system is applicable only where there
is no probability of killing frost, where
large fields can be safely allowed to
stand till wanted by the mill. North
of the twenty-seventh parallel the CEN
trail factory system, similar to the beet