The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1908-10-29
Sugar Cane Culture.

Mr.. W. n. DOdSOn, Director OF |
the Agricultural Experiment Sta
tons, writes as follows, under a
recent date, to Mr.. j. W. Elston,
of Haughton:
Your letter addressed to Col.
Schuler regarding the cultivation
Of sugar cane in North Louisiana
has been referred to me for reply.
AS to long shipments of cane,
Mr.. Walter Godchaux tells me
that it is impracticable to ship
sugar cane as far as 100 miles to
a central factory, and that there
will probable be no conditions in
this State justifying the shipment
of cane such a distance, the
freight being about 81 ton.
Again, on account of the lia-
bility Of damage by early frost
and deterioration of the stubble,
I do not think it would be possi-
BILE to develop sugar-making ex-
tensively in the Red River bot
toms north of East Point. | see
no reason, however, why the sy-
rup industry should not be extern
sively developed, and profitably,
if properly managed. Even then
lands should be selected that
would make the best quality of
table syrup and develop the mar
ket for the goods that you put out.
1t is possible to make quality Of
syrup in that region that will sell
for more than can be secured for
the ordinary syrup of Southern
Louisiana. 1t should be remem-
bered that any sugar house in the
southern part of the State can
readily stop the manufacture of
sugar and turn their plant into
syrup-making whenever it be-
comes more profitable to sell sy-
rup than to sell sugar. So that,
in a sense, this competition must
be met.
! AS to the price per ton for cane
at the refinery, would say that
this is generally priced on the ba-
sis of yellow clarified sugar on
the New Orleans market, and it
ranges from Soc. to 90c. per ton
for each cent of the value of the
yellow clarified sugar. That is,
if the factory is buying on basis
of 80c. the yellow clarified sugar
! is worth 4c. pound, and that
would pay $500 per ton; or, on a
90c. basis, $500 per ton. Three
years ago the prevailing price in
this locality was 9Oc., and the
price of sugar &c., SO that great
deal of the cane was sold at 81 a
ton. That is above the average
price, which is from $3.50 to 81 :.
Frequently, the North Louisiana
cane contains as much sugar as
the South Louisiana cane, but
the tonnage is not as great, and
the liability to damage by frost
makes it necessary to work up the
crop in a shorter time, which is a
great advantage.
AS to the railroads encouraging
the enterprise by giving low
freights, | find that the law will
not permit them to give lower
rate in one part of the State than
in another. Their rate is based
on the distance hauled and must
be the same for like distance
whether applying to a new or an
old established enterprise. The
railroads state that they are los
ing in hauling cane, but that when
the sugar is hauled from the fac
iory, together with supplies, etc.,
for the factories, there is a profit
Therefore, | do not believe you
will get any concessions from the
railroads.
do not believe that the solu-
ton of the present problem is il
: abandoning cotton, but rather ir
diminishing the land devoted t.
this crop, and raising our home
supply of meat and foodstuffs
and cultivating cotton for earlier
maturity.
Very Respectfully,
w. r. DoDsoN, Director.
1l Jl an1l,., AZ