The Brownsville daily herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1897-1910, 1909-07-19
VALLEY AN IDEAL
SUGAR COUNTRY
THREE CONDITIONS WHICH OBJ
TAN IN RELATION TO SUGAR
Sugar Grower Here Has Immense Adj
vantage Over Louisiana Grower
Long Growing Season, Time Be-
tween Replanting and Water Supply

three conditions which obtain in
the Lower Rio Grande Valley in re-
lation to the sugar industry will make
this one CT the greatest sugar prduc-
ing regions in the world. and place
it far ahead of Louisiana in this re-
speet p said Henry n. Pharr of
Louisiana, in a conversation on the
train a few days ago, as he was leav-
ing Brownsville on his return to
Louisiana
Mr. Pharr is member of the Louis
lana Sugar Company that has bought
large tract of Hidalgo county land
for the purpose of opening large
sugar plantation. He and his asso-
ciates are among the best known and
most extensive sugar growers and
sugar mill operators in the famous
Louisiana sugar district, hence his
opinion on this subject is worthy of
great respect. Continuing, Mr.. Pharr
explained the three conditions re-
ferred to him as follows:
First, the longer growing season in
the valley, which enables the grow
er to allow his cane to stand in the
field until fully matured, hence gain
ing in the sugar content Of the same.
In Louisiana, he said, it is often
necessary on account of the early
frost to cut and windrOw the cane
several weeks before it has fully ma
tured and before the mills are ready
for operation. The loss of sugar
content is great, when this is done,
and the extra cost of windrowing the
cane, instead of hauling it directly
to the mill, necessitating its being
handled twice, reduces the profit on
the crop very considerably.
Second, the fact that sugar-cane
does not require replanting oftener
than every five years in the valley,
adds very materially to the profit in
raising sugar here. In Louisiana, it
is necessary to replant every other
year, while here. Mr.. Pharr said he
felt sure that for five years at least
the stubble would continue to re-
produce, and give equally as good
results as newly planted cane. This
makes an immense saving, as re-
planting not only costs largely for
labor, but also consumes a large
part of the cane that otherwise would
be converted into sugar.
Third, the fact that in the valley
the water supply can be controlled,
the crop being watered when neces-
sary and the water withheld when
it would be detrimental, is another
great advantage which the Lower
Grande Valley has over Louisiana. In
the latter state, Mr.. Pharr stated
the planter sometimes has entirely
too much rain, and often at time
when not needed at all, and again,
when rain is wanted, dry weather be-
falls. Here the canals systems sup
ply Just the amount of water needed
for the crop and no more.
These three conditions, Mr.. Pharr
declared make the Lower Rio Grande
Valley an ideal sugar country, and he
expects to see this entire valley de-
velop into the greatest sugar produc-
ing area in the entire United States.
Mr.. Pharr and his associates will
themselves invest very heavily in
the sugar industry in the valley. They
have bought a large tract of land,
and are preparing to plant sufficient
cane this year to produce seed cane
with which to plant 5000 acres next
year. They will erect a large sugar
mill on their plantation. which will
be ready to grind the crop OF 1911.