La Junta tribune., 1910-06-04

srslppl, constitute the great cane
sugar area Of the United Stats, To
grow sugar cane the lands must be
; through this great rich sugar coun-
try from Alexandria on the Red river
To Baton Rouge on the Mississippi,
down tie la't4r to New Orleans and
then - westward 70 lafayette, and,
except On N, he'd r. -. there is al
most a continuous Succession Of cane
plantations Sug,r cane Is grown by
tie SUGAR zane FuGtrrs, who own
large plantation, G.' Utec to the cul.
ture of sugar Until recently every
planter not only grew sugar cane, but
manufactured his cane into sugar, so
that to be a sugar planter meant to-
be- both a sugar cane grower and
sugar manufacturer. The develop
ment of the sugar Industry. like all
kinds Of agriculture and manufactur-
ing. has gone forward from the crude
methods and machinery OF the early
days to the scientific and modern In.
dustrial methods and machinery Of
the present. In the early days the
s!mple, large. open kettle was the
chief plant for manufacturing sugar
On these old plantations, here and
there. one can still find these huge
Kettles. great bowl like kettles, six or
seven feet across Next came the.
sugar plant. with It's complicated pro
cesses, great presses, vacuum boilers.
ccntrifugals and engines, and great
buildings, with their lofty smoke
stacks OF iron. and the sugar houses.
These are to be seen on every plan
taiion. but modern advance and sys-
TEN, and with II consolidation. are
reyolutionizing the sugar Industry, so
that great central plants, owned by
some large planters. have been erect
I'd AZ an immense expense and these
large planters can manufaCtur" sugar
at 20 much less cost. extract a great
.r per cent Of sugar and make a
better grade. that the large planter
Is offering to grind and make into
sugar his neigh or planters cane, at
less 'han it costs the small planter.
with his former plant. 10 work up the
can. crop, hence. here and there, are
being established large central sugar
plants which are beginning to manu-
farturo the cane Of the surrounding
territory into sugar, and consequent.
ly see many large plants that are
beginning To lie idle which VIII even
tually be- abandoned aud fall into
ruins.
These sugar plantations are large.
from one thousand acres 10 eight
and ten thousand acres Some ot
IN" sugar planters own tvo ur more
plantations Of Immense size, Ike bar.
onics Thcy are the money huVs of
the south aud live Ia spl,ndor and
grandeur Many OF these sugar lords
live In the city and hut short time
on their plantations New orleans is
the home ot many great sugar plant
ers Some Of the most beautiful
mansions OF the sugar planters There
u the great house and other buildings
In grounds bsauriful With flower, or
anEo trees. palms, magnolias and
other decorative and rare plants and
trees but what adds the greatest
charm to these magnificent homes IN
IN. great oak trees, the kinEs OF
,h" forest. immense, grand trees. with
trunks from three 10 Elk feet IN
thickness. their giant branches rising
aloft and spreading out and, with
their thick foliage, making a dense,
most beautiful and inviting shade.
The most beautiful Of all these In
the live oak liS leaves remain
green throughout the winter It grows
TO giant tree, and IL branches are
distance. many branches extending as
much an firy or SIXTY feet or more.
80 that herd Of cattle might find
shade under one OF th"s. great oaks.
These oaks ar. generally covered
with spanish moss that makes them
weird and venerable and they appeal
10 the Imagination as the hoary and
ancient temples OF III" Druids. This
moss In gray and of beautiful thread
like texture. and hangs dishcyeiod
and ragged or like beautiful and cost
ly drap.ry IN graceful fc~,oons as
though u were the work Of the spif.
It's One can but admire these beau
uful homes and envy the for,unat, /,
owners Near the hous. is the sugar
mill and the negro quarters, little