SUGAR, MANUFACTURE OF. The great commercial demand for sugar is almost exclusively supplied from the• sngar cane (Arundo vaccharVera), which contains it in greater quantity and purity than any other plant, and consequently affords the greatest facilities for its ex traction. A large quantity of sugar is contained in the sap of the American maple (Aar saccharinum), and in the juice of the beet-root (Beta enagaria), from both of which it may be economi cally obtained ; it has also been extract ed from grapes or raisins, and, as is well i known, is contained abundantly in many ripe fruits and esculent vegetables. It is, however, in these, seldom so pure or in such quantity as to admit of ready sepa ration.
Sugar is a crop, which, as made from the cane, is almost confined to Louisiana, in this country. The return of the crop of 1846, was about 140,000 hogsheads. In the year 1848, the growth being larger, it was estimated at 240,000—which at the rate of 50 dollars a hogshead, would give the sum of 12,000,000 dollars, the value of a single product of 28 parishes in that State. The cultivation of this plant is extending in Georgia, Alabama, and Flo ride. Texas, however, will be the great est rival of Louisiana in the cultivation.
The steady advance in improvement of Louisiana, affords encouragement to believe, that the time may not be far dis tant, when this State, aided by Florida and Texas, will be able to furnish enough to meet all the demands for consumption of this article in the United States. This would be a very desirable consummation, not merely on account of the growing prosperity of this State, but as occasion ing still increased exchange of products from other States.
The following, taken from the New Orleans Price Current., of September 1, 1847, as the amount of the crops of that State for many years past : Crop of 1828 139,000 hhda.
" 1829 48,000 " 1932 70,000 " " 1833 75,000 " " 1834 100,000 " ,1 1835 30,000 " " 1836 70,030 " " 1837 65,000 " " 1838 70,000 " " 1839 115,000 " " 1840 87,000 " " 1841 90,000 " " 1842 140,000 " " 1843 100,000 " " 1844 200,000 " " 1.945 186,000 "
" 1846 200,000 " " 1897 290,000 " The production and consumption of sugar is large. In 1844, the whole amount produced from all the sugar-growing countries in the world was set down at 778,000 tons, of which 200,000 was sup plied by Cuba alone. It is probable that by this time, therefore, it can scarcely be less than 850 to 900,000 tons, if we in clude beet and maple sugar. It is esti mated that Great Britain consumes as much as 250,000 tons, the rest of Europe 450,000, the United States 150 to 160,000 tons, or more ; Canada and the other British Colonies, 25,000 tons.
The amount of beet-root sugar made in France in 1846-1847, was estimated at 107,190,110 pounds, being an increase of 26,596,482 pounds on the quantity manu factured the previous year. This article shows the importance of perseverance in such experiments as hold out the proba bility of success. It is well known, as a fact of history, that the origin of this manufacture as a national one, sprung from the necessities of the French people, when in their wars, they were cut off from the usual supplies of cane sugar by the West Indies. It is not less, too, a matter of record, how great was the ridi cule cast upon the Emperor Napoleon for his efforts by way of encouragement to this business.
Five different kinds of cane are culti vated in Louisiana—Bourbon, green-rib bon, red-ribbon, Otaheite, and creole. The two first are the most extensively cultivated. The cane is planted in fall, sometimes in October, in rows from five to eight feet apart, and reaches its full growth in nine months. It grows so luxuriant that the rays of the sun can not penetrate it. Previous to plstiting, the soil is ploughed, harrowed, and the furrow opened with a double mould board plough. Cane slips are then laid in straight lines three thick, and over lapping. They are then covered four or six inches with earth, as a protection from frost.