Evening star., 1927-08-29
LOUISIANA SUGAR
SAVED BY science
New Type of Cane Developed
More Able to Resist
Disease Ravages.

Special Dispatch to The star,
NEW YORK. August 29.-Young
hleas have saved the $200,000000
sugar industry of Louisiana. Sugar in
the South Is really coming back"
Ten years ago the Louisiana sugar
industry spread over 275.000 acres. "A
hundred-odd mills ground out wealth
from the cane. and contributed to the
livelihood of nearly 100. 900 persons
Then production fell off and for years
the industry was practically bank
rupt. Old planters blamed the weather
soil and luck
But it remained for group Of
younger men 10 take seriously the
warnings of the Department OF Agrl-
culture that certain diseases had in
vaded the fields and that this un-
healthy condition could only be reCti-
fed by changing the variety of the
cane planted. To the others the ex-
periences of the cane growers of Ar
gentina and other countries meant
nothing.
Started in 1922.
In 1922 the managers of the South
down Plantation, Charles krunbhaar,
David Pipes, jr. and Elliott Jones,
-
which had been developed by Govern
ment experts at the experimental sta
ton on the Southdown Plantation.
From this tiny seed bed they raised
enough cane for a larger pla uting the
next year, and distributed some seed
to other planters. who were willing
to give the new idea a chance. The
variety was far from ideal. but the
younger element among the Louisiana
planters went earnestly to work 10
improve it. The president of the Amer
lean Sugar Cane League, Stephen
Munson. was a leader in the move
ment.
This year conservative estimates
place the harvest of P o J 234 cane
in Louisiana at 4eo, 900 tons. all the
growth coming from that planting OF
81 eyes five years ago. 1t seems now
to be we'll established that this p o j
234 cane will yield an average OF "a
tons to the acre. while most of these
paintings this season will yield 80 to
35 tons. This has practically CON !
verted the old-tinIe planters. Ihe
weld in 1927 will be sufficient to sup
nIv seed to the entire State and leave
200. 600 tons for grinding In the
meantime, two ohter varieties-P . }
913 and p o ] 36-have been tried
and seem to surpass the original o.
234, both In yield and disease-resis1-
ing qualities.
II is safe to say, that but for the
encoura cement of few far-slgnleu
bankers and business men in support
ing these experiments, the Louisiana
cane industry would have been wlpeo
out two years ago. Inc nahks "our
have written off their losses, the acre. |
age would have gone into the discard
and the sugar country would nave
cea sed TO exist. This would nave
meant wide economic loss through |
default of bond issues, since southern
euoar lands are assessed at TWICE
What thev would bring In the open |
market and with no future IN slsn''
ovners would have let their hololilss !
go by default for taxes.
Have Large Expectations.
Nv 1928, it is confidently beneVeo.
the Louisiana yield VIII pay pa
q unfortunately S50,00o.ooe, since me
new canes produce an aVerage %
1866 pounds OF sugar 70 the .on' "a
against 1884 pounds TOT the Wv
varieties. h,,s;ress
r,ar of Louisiana organized the State
A gric,,ltl,raI Credit Corporation, WIN
q a csnital Of s325, 900. With the AID OF
Ihe Eederal intermediate Credit BANG
this capital financed the crop OF 49,; ss.r
Now the capital of the organl1a'iol, dan n1a ~
has heen increased to S600.Ooo 70
finance the 1928 crop. The disGouh. l.
rate on this from the Federal BANK
nrobably will be for l.. ,so
when this money is loaned TO ,ne
p,anter. it is given on mo1l.nly
hudget basis. Inspectors Visit every
nlantation every few days 70 see Ill
the funds are being properly spsn'
and proper methods OF cuttiVatlon o,, no
lowed. 1t is one of the most thorua 1r.;.ea
iessons in farming that the United
c,.o+ne ax,ar has had.