Vol. X. No. 229. 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



35 



SUGAR INDUSTRY. 



THE SUGAR MARKET, 1910. 



The following interesting facts concerning the 

 state of the sugar market in 1910 are taken from the 

 fortnightly report dated Januar}' 3, 1911, issued by 

 Messr.«. (iillespie Bros. & Co. : — 



We take the opportunity of rapidly summarizing the 

 course of the market during the past year. 



At the beginning of last year, it was beginning to he 

 fully realized that the beetroot crop was but a small one, 

 and as the Continent practically required nearly the whole 

 output, British refiners had to depend much more than usual 

 on cane sugar. 



Comparatively little beetroot sugar was imported from 

 the Continent into England, but prices for the first three 

 months of the year continued to advance, until at the end of 

 March, beetroot was sold at 14.s. 9'Z., f.o.b. Hambiirjf, liasis 

 88°. 



For the next six months our refiners supplied themselves 

 by extensive purchases of Cuban and Java sugars, in addition 

 to which they, of course, received shipments from the British 

 West Indies, Xatal and British India. 



Towards the end of August, speculators became less 

 confident, in consequence of the increased acreage planted on 

 the Continent, and an easier tendency appeared. Xew crop 

 for October to December delivery was sold very freely at 

 from lis. Thd. to 12s. Gt/. and when during Septemlier and 

 October, reports of fine weather indicated that the ciop 

 might be a large one, a rapid decline took place. 



In October, when estimates of the beetroot crop appeared, 

 ranging from 7,3.50,000 tons to 7,700,000 tons, the down- 

 ward movement became more rapid, and the price of new crop 

 beetroot fell to 8s. 7-hd., f.o!b. 



Since that date, the crop estimates have been further 

 increased, and it is now supposed that the European crop will 

 total about 8,000,000 tons, or nearly 2,000,000 tons over the 

 last campaign. 



Notwithstanding these figures, prices of beetroot have 

 not further declined, and indeed today's value, being about 

 9s., shows .some recovery from the lowest point.' This seems 

 to indicate that fabricants are in a strong position to hold 

 their stocks, and expect a better market during the next six 

 months. 



For the purposes of comparison, we quote to-day 88° 

 beet as follows; January 8s. ll^d., March 9s. Oid., May 

 9s. 2d., October to December 9s. 5ld.; the quotations for 

 prompt at this date in previous years having been as follows: 

 1910, Ss.Ujc?.; 1909, 10s. Id.; 1908, 9s. lOhl; 1%7, 8s. 9p,.- 

 1906, 8s. 2d.: 190-5, lis. 8JV/.; 1904, 8... 4|.7 ; 1903, 8.«. Ofc/.; 

 1902, 6s. (■„/. " '"' - 



The ('uban crop turned out to be fully ^qual to the 

 expectations entertained about a year ago, the outturn being 

 practically 1,800,000 tons. The coming crop promises well, 

 but is not likely to come up to the bumper ciop of last year. 

 Shoidd there be aUy material falling off, it seems po.ssible 

 that a recovery in prices generally would speedily follow, as 

 stocks in the United States do not appear to be heavy, and it 

 is to be expected that, both there and in Europe, the present 

 low range of prices will have the effect of increasing con- 

 sumption. 



; J Undoubtedly the high prices ruling until the last few 

 months have resulted in preventing the normal increase of 



consumption, which is usually witnessed, and Messrs. Connal 

 estimate that there has been a falling off in the world's con- 

 sumption during the past year of about 83,000 tons. 



The total quantity of sugar available for 1910-11 as 

 compared with the two previous seasons is as follows : — 



1910-11, 1909-10, 1908-9, 



tons. tons. tons. 



Beet (Licht) 8,057,000 0,170,000 6,470,000 



CanecVU.S.A Beet) 6_3.24_000 6,072,000 .5,461,000 



Stocks August 31 1,098,240 1,012,440 1,076,000 



1.5,479,240 13,254,440 1.^,007,000 



Crystallised West India has sold well during the whole 

 year, but prices are now, of course, much below the average 

 of the past season. 



We quote as follows : Low to good yellow: 1911, lis. 3d, 

 to 15s. CkI; 1910, 15.«. M. to 17s. 3d.; 1909, 14s. 3d. to 

 15s. 6d; 1908, 16s. 9c?. to 18s.; 1907, 15s. Qd. to 17s.; Fine 

 bright to choice : 1911, 1.5s. 9d. to 18s.: 1910, 17s. 6d. to 

 18s. 9d.; 1909, 15s. 9^. to 17s. 3d.; 1908, 18s. 3d. to 19s. 9d.; 

 1907, 17s. 3d. to 18s. 



Nearest nominal quotations of Befining West Indian 

 descriptions— Muscovado: 89°— 1911, 8s. 9d. to 9s.; 1910, 

 12s. Ihd.; 1909, 10s. Urf.; 1908, 9s.7h/.; 1907, 8s. lOhd. 

 Centrifugals : 96°— 191l' 10s. Ud to 10.^. 3d; 1910, 13s. 3d.; 

 1909, lis. Ud; 1908, \\s. Ijd"; 1907, 10s. 3d 



DEMERARA SEEDLING CANES IN 

 LOUISIANA. 



Id the field, except in seasons of extreme drought, 

 D. 95 has generally exceeded in tonnage to the acre the 

 D. 74. Both these canes require more frequent and intent 

 sive cultivation than the common ribbon cane. In fact, they 

 need garden tilth for their full development. Under such 

 conditions, both plant cane and first ratoons are almost cer- 

 tain to considerably exceed the ribbon cane in tonnage to the 

 acre. Both are more difficult to cut for the mill than the ribbon 

 cane, hence they require a larger force of cutters to deliver 

 the same daily tonnage. Both th^ seedling canes are much 

 less damaged by light frosts than the ribbon cane; and after 

 severe frosts the D. 74 lies better and keeps better in wind- 

 row than either of the other varieties. Both are better storm 

 resisters than the ribbon cane, taking the average West Indian 

 hurricane. Unfortunately, D. 74 is liable to break before 

 it will bend, in the most furious storm; and fortunately, 

 D. 95 will bend under such conditions without being pros- 

 trated on the ground as the ribbon Cane alwa}'S has been, 

 and always will lie, in even ordinary autumnal tempests. 

 D. 95 appears to ratoon much better than D. 74, and 

 probably even a little bettef than the striped cane. 



But where D. 95 comes most into fayour and shows 

 up best is in the factory. It may not demo'nstrate as high 

 or quit^ias high sucrose percentage as 1). 74; but it so far 

 exceeds the latter in purity of juice as probably to over- 

 come that advantage of D. 74. ,, .'• 



, One of the most admirable and advantageous character- 

 istiqs of . D.95 is its gene);al tendency to reach a fair or 

 even a high degree of maturity, , on, rank new ground planted 

 in cane for the first time and in our reclaimed marsh lands. 

 It iwill ttburish and ripen in laind where the first crop of rib- 

 bon cane thus located wouldi be unfit and unprofitable for 

 working at the mill if it were hauled there free of charge. 

 (Frow The Louisiana Planter, Decenxber:3, 1910.) 



