The Morgan City daily review. (Morgan City, La.) 1916-1920, 1916-11-24
LOUISIANA CROPS

Never befoe has there been sea-
son when the principal planting in
terest of this state have Jared so
we'll as they are doing this year.
Were it not for the shortage OF
Weld in the cotton fields, though
this is more than compensated by the
extra high price Of the snowy staple,
there woul be nothing to complain
of on any hand. Even with this, how
ever, Louisiana's 1916 cotton pro-
duction is to exceed that Of last
year.
For the past two months, the rice
nlanters have been conducting their
harvest, and the yield has been
averaging distinctly better than nor
NAL. In consequence, the 1916 rice
production is attaining higher fl
cures than ever registered in the
past. While it is true prices are not
all they should be, still the gain in
yield has resulted in the industry as
a whole faring very handsomely in
average per acre profits. One reason
for this, aside from high yield, has
been the wonderful weather enjoy
ed for the harvest, no rice whatever
lost as a result Of early fall rains
or windstorm, as is so often the case.
The 1916 rice yield is estimated at
100000 bushels, against 1874
900 in 1915.
AS the rice crap removal was get
ting toward it's close, the sugar har-
vest was inaugurated shortly after
the middle of October, and reports
received by Modern Farming from
various parts of the sugar belt are
uniformly favorable. The tonnage OF
the stubble or second year cane, al
ways the first cane to be cut for the
mill, is turning out better than ex-
pected, and there are high hopes for
large returns from the plant cane OF
first year crop. From the crop reno
val and manufacturing viewpoints,
there is nothing to be desired, for
the weather has proven admirable
for the opening of the campaign, be-
ing the sort that is calculated to
"put plenty of sugar in the cane"
We learn of sugar yields per ton of
cane being found distinctly higher
than usual at the outset of sugar
making, in fact, the mills securing
the latter days of October as much
sugar per ton of cane as is ordinarily
obtained at the close Of the season,
when the cane is normally sweeter.
Should there be the usual augmen-
tation in saccharine percentage of
the cane juice during the next four
to six weeks Of the grinding season,
we can expect some exceptional fac
tory results this season.
No one will be found willing to
deny the sugar man his inning, for
he indeed has had long wait for
crop and market conditions as favor
able as they are now. Should prices
hold as high as they were during
November and December as they
were in October, or even approx
matly SO, at around the six cents
mark, the Louisiana sugar industry
will enter the new year in a wonder
fully prosperous condition. Practi-
tically every cane planter and sugar
manufacturer, thanks to good yields
and prices, can be expected to work
clean under the burden Of debt that
has sorely pressed him for some
years past.
Aside from the worlds deficit. in
iiisugar, created by the war, the -ca-
son for the market having strength
ened last month and holding so firm,
is the car shortage situation, which
is sorely hampering the marketing
of the big United States beet sugar
crop, the largest on record. It has
been feared in Louisiana sugar cir
cles. that when the beet crop began
to move during October, prices
quickly fall. Here is where the car
situation at least is proving Of local
benefit. It is estimated that the
Louisiana sugar crop this year
should produce not less than $780,
900 long tons Of sugar, against
which the 1915 production was 1885,
900 long tons.
Il Louisiana's other principal crop,