Department of Agriculture [pp. 417-429]

DEPARTMENT 0W AGRICULTURE.
tates, together with their owners, are in a bad fix. The next estates are in Brazoria
county, on the Bernard, or near enough to convey their produce to the river by
February, from whence it is taken in vessels of light draught to Galveston. The
majority of the estates, however, lie near the Brazos, and on Oyster Creek. Those
planters can ship at any time during the season, in large schooners, brigs or steamers,
so as to command an early market. There is a bar at the entrance of this river
covered with shallow water; but I am told, vessels of seven feet pass over with.
safety during the time of year when sugar and other staples are being shipped.
There is some talk of a company starting a mechanical camel, such as are used on the
Neva in Prussia, and on the Zuyder Zee, to convey ships over shoals; and as this bar
is but about one hundred yards long, there is little doubt of their answering a good
purpose. Those in Europe will take a ship of 1,000 tons, drawing 20 feet water,
over a flat, bar or shoal, where there is not more than five or six feet water, at any
time in a few hours.
" Some sugar is made on the Trinity; this is easily conveyed to Galveston. Some
planters sold their crops in the sugar-house last year, and many would, no doubt, be
happy to do so this coming season. I saw one crop sold upon the following terms:
Sugar, fair, 4 cents; molasses, superior, $6 50 per barrel of 45 gallons; syrup, $8
per barrel. This was, barrels included and put on board the vessel by the planter.
I assure you, there is a great opening for Northern merchants to come here and
speculate, in the fall.
"Another profitable business might be carried on by sending out vessels with
empty barrels to purchase molasses, as barrels are worth $1 75 to $2, here, and
molasses might be bought cheap where you find your own casks. If things are looked
at in a proper light, there is a better opening here for your traders than many would
suppose, as the sugars of Texas are equal in quality to the best made in Louisianma.
The last year's crop was about 7,500 tons, and molasses, with syrup, 800,000 gallons.
We may safely estimate the coming crop, which promises well, at 12,000 tons of sugar
and upwards of 1,000,000 gallons of molasses.
"I must explain why the quantity of molasses does not increase in a like ratio with
the sugar. As the lands, which are rather too rich for cane, become worn, the canes
produce more sugar and less molasses; another reason is, some of the planters are
erecting apparatus to convert their molasses into sugar and sugar-house molasses.
This is an improvement of vast importance.
"There are seven or eight steam mills and other machinery going up, to be used.
for the coming crop. One of the largest refineries in the United States is also in
the course of erection on the Brazos-it will be completed by October. At Velasco,
at the mouth of the same river, is also a large beef-curing establishment, nearly
completed. Its apparatus is very costly. It is an improvement upon Dr. Lardner's
vacuum process, and it is anticipated they will cure one hundred beeves daily.
" No state would be better intersected than this, if all the plank-roads, railways and
canals were in active operation, which their projectors have laid down on paper; but
the capital is wanting to build them. As regards climate and soil, past years have
proved the former to suit sugar culture to a'r. As to the latter, analysis proves it
to be equal to the Delta of the Nile.
"Although the planters here have more expenses in shipping their crops, and are
little further from the market than the Louisianians, nevertheless, they are enabled
to cope with them, as the amount of capital required to start a sugar plantation here
is not half what it requires in Louisiana. The Texas planter can produce more to
the acre and to the hand. The feeding of his negroes does not cost half as much,.
and his team is procured and maintained at one-third the expense."
7. HOGS KILLED IN THE WEST.
FROM the best information he could obtaiti, by personal inspection and otherwise,
Mr. L. Caldwell has published in the Lafayette, Indiana, Courier of February 28th,
a statement of the number of hogs slaughtered in the west during the past season.
His aggregates are as follows: Ohio, 523,755; Kentucky, 198,000; Indiana, 428,575;.
Illinois, 268,100; Mississippi River, 252,900; Missouri river, es't, 75,000; Cum berland river, es't, 100,000. Other small points overlooked, 25,000. Grand total,
1,871,330.
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