New Iberia enterprise and independent observer. (New Iberia, La.) 1902-1944, 1918-04-27
LOUISIANA SUGAR CANE
ACREAGE FOR 1918.

The critical situation of the
worlds food supply and especial
ly Of the worlds sugar supply.
leads the United States Depart
ment of Agriculture to study more
carefully than usual the weather
conditions and influences that
bear upon the food crops with the
view of determining as far in ad-
vance as possible what the final
results may be. AS Indian corn
has been selling at high prices
and as sugar has been held down
by the Suga Division Of the Food
Control Board to low prices ds
compared with other food stutfs,
it is evident that there has been a
considerable diversion in Louisi-
ana to other crops and this foG
the purpose of making sure of an
adequate supply of food for man
and beast in Louisiana, without
which we might be less fortunate
than now.
Mr.. John S. Dennee, the local
field agent Of the U. S. Depart
ment Of Agriculture, has issued
his report dated April 10th and
made up from reports received
from over three hundred cane
growers. He believes that the
crop will be about $4,000 acres
less this year, 1918. than the We
in sugar cane in 1917. The crop
report takes in the whole twenty
four sugar producing parishes and
the acreage in cane this year is
estimated at 2SO,1S7 acres as COM
pared with 293, 3,90S acres last year.
This would be a reduction Of
about five per cent. The estimate
is made that there is about 30
per cent Of plant cane and AZ per
cent of stubble. or ratoon cane.
The percentages Of increased and
diminished acreges in the various
parishes is given. but hardly
gives very exact estimate as in
the Parish Of Plaquemines, for
instance, an increase of 80 per
cent is reported, while the whole
crop of the parish is comparative
ly small and the increase has |
come from the construction Of
new sugar factory on the east
tank at Stella, which has induced
number of neighboring planta-
ions to again begin cane culture
n moderate way, and yet the
percentage stands very high be-
ause Of the previously reported
mall quantities.
A careful investigation has
hown that some damage wa.
one to the seed cane by the ex-
rene drought that prevailed for =
nany weeks or months and the ]
everal freezes during the winter,
ONE Of which killed many of our I
range trees, also did some harm
, the sugar cane and especially
4 the northerly parishes. Ra- s
ides places the loss Of seed cane
) high as 20 per cent and the loss
{ stubble by the freeze at 35 per t
ent. In the entire area known 8
) the sugar cane belt a damage d
4 per cent to the plant cane, or \
ed cane and about 7 per cent to b
le stubble or ratoon cane would d
em to have occurred.
Quite a point is made in the q
atement that the western part =
the state where he sugar cane q
dustry has been maintained in ?
'nsiderable proportions. and in \
ct considerably enlarged, while II
her parts Of the state were d. 6,
in their total cane Il
ea, is now also diminishing its
ca in sugar cane because Of the =,
eater attraction offered by 9th. O.
crops. high priced corn. for n
stance. and also high priced q,
tton. in the culture Of which u
Louisiana farmers >,
e very familiar. As nearly as "