Richmond Enquirer

Milledgeville, November 29.

Sugar Cane.—The culture of this valuable plant, which is beginning to attract general attention, opens to the intelligent planter a new and splendid field for industry and enterprise. Experiments made in different parts of the state, evince the practicability of raising it to great advantage. A quantity of excellent sugar, a sample of which may be seen at this office, was made the present season on Col. McCornick's plantation on the Oconee, about sixty miles below this, and more than an hundred from the sea-coast. It is the opinion of Col. McCornick's manager, Mr. Dale, that the production of this Cane will be nearly equal to that of the West Indies. It has been ascertained moreover, by actual experiment, that good sugar, but little inferior to the best Muscovado, can be made in this neighborhood, and at so little expense as to render it a most profitable crop. The Cane is now growing in great perfection on Governor Mitchell's farm, a few miles from our town. It is uncommonly large, ripens well, and yields an abundant quantity of saccharine which granulates readily by the ordinary process. The sugar made in this state resembles the New-Orleans, and appears in every respect equally good. In a few years, it is probable every family in the southern and middle parts of Georgia will make more or less sugar. At any rate, we are confident the time is not distant, when our state will raise more than enough for the consumption of its citizens.

The Georgia planter, possessing peculiar advantages from soil and climate, must necessarily become not only the most wealthy, but the most independent of that independent class of citizens, the cultivators of the soil. All the necessaries of life, and most of its luxuries can be produced on his own farm. Besides Cotton, Indigo, Corn, Wheat, Tobacco, Rice and Hemp, which grow no where better than here, our soil and climate are well calculated for making Sugar, Wine and Oil.

As the cultivation of Sugar Cane will probably be much extended the next year, the subjoined hints on that subject, from an intelligent and practical planter, cannot fail to be acceptable.

Hints to Sugar Planters.

Form beds or ridges with a base of 18 inches, 10 inches in height, and distant from each other 3 1-2 or 4 feet. In January or February open the beds to the depth of 4 inches—cut the Canes into pieces containing three sound joints in each, and drop them lengthwise into the trench opened on the top of the bed, leaving a space of a foot between the ends of the plants thus laid down—cover them carefully, and if in the spring, you find cider that the plants come up slowly, or with yellow appearance remove the earth carefully to the depth of two inches, taking care that the hoe does not wound those joints which may have sprouted and yet not have appeared above the surface.

As frost may be expected in this part of the country in most seasons earlier than on the sea-board, all Cane intended for seed ought to be cut and stacked previously to the 10th of October, at which period the Cane has obtained its full growth—maturity is not required in that intended for seed.—It may be put in ricks 15 or 20 feet wide, and of any length that the quantity used for seed may require; taking care to cover the sides and ends of the rick with earth as high up as the commencement of the leaves and 6 inches thick, to preserve from the effect of frost the butt end of the Canes which would otherwise be exposed. The leaves will form a sufficient thatch for the top.