The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1919-12-05
Sugar Production in West Florida.

lane grindlnS ana syrup making in full
swing in West Florida, and never have crops been
better than they today In reference to the crop
in Gadsden County, the Quincy Times says. edi
torially Conditions for syrup making could not be
more ideal than they at this time Absence OF
heavy frosts have permitted the growers to allow
their cane to mature before cutting and a result
syrup of the very finest flavor is being made.
1.-The market price this year is higher than
and there is question but that this will be the
best crop from a financial standpoint produced in
the county during the The price offered is
dollar gallon, slight advance over last year
when it sold for ninety cents to dollar
The A. L. Wilson Company in Quincy has pur-
chased four thousand barrels at S35 BARREL making
the investment of this concern alone si4000o
and this does not represent the entire crop by any
means, which it is estimated will amount to quar-
ter of a million dollars and probably more.
For many years Gadsden County has been famed
producer of sugar OF the best quality, and
there has been time when the profit in grow
ing it great now. Says the Times: 1T is
Of the easiest and least expensive crop that can
be raised and there is question but that much
larger profit still will this year by the
growers than made growing tobacco, which is
the leading crop of the county.
The United States Sugar Equalization Board tells
the people of the United States that government
troll of sugar them at least s2oo0oo0o0 on
their sugar bill for 1919. But just at this tme the
people of the United States more interested IN
how to get sugar than how to save the money that
goes for the sugar crop.
The people of the United States are the greatest
consumers of sugar in the world. and while during
the war they willingly consented to restriction in
their consumption in view of the requirements of the
army and the destitute peoples of Europe, now they
want all the sugar they able to pay for.
According to government reports. the 10o,0Go000
people of the United States consumed much sugar
in the year. from September 1, 1918, to September l.
i9ie as the combined consumption of the 2o0OO0OoO
people of the United Kingdom France, Italy Belgium.
Holland and Germany. We consumed one-quarter Of
the worlds production and one-half of the export
able Surplus.
But with the vast possibilities presented by Flor
ida for the cultivation of cane, there would
seem to be no good reason why the United States
should not few years. supply not only the needs
of the United States. but have surplus to spare.
West Florida is well adapted to the growing Of
cane and among the finest exhibits at the State Fair
were the splendid specimens Of cane both Spanish
and the variety common to this part OF the
south The Agricultural Department of the Univer-
sity of Florida has recently published bulletin CIV
ing ample directions for making sugar on the farm
But what West Florida needs more than anything
else to promote the sugar industry is good sugar
refinery to make high grade sugar for commercial
purposes.
II has already been fully demonstrated that the
best of cane may grown in this part OF the state
But ii cannot hoped that production in the
state will assume any real value. until the cane may
Returned into the best grades of sugar. and placed On
the market for sale When this has been done.
Florida will indeed have come into its own. and the
orange the tobacco and the early vegetables for
which this state is noted. will have been outclassed
in value by .he syrup and sugar production OF the
state.