132 
THE  SUGAR-CANE  IN  LOUISIANA. 
As  we  have  seen,  this  manufacture,  begun  in  1765,  struggling 
against  the  climate,  and  unfavorable  seasons,  was  abandoned  in 
1769.  More  than  25  years  elapsed  before  any  planter  ventured 
on  a  fresh  trial. 
In  1790,  a  Spaniard  named  Solis,  at  Terre-au-Bceufs,  aboiit 
nine  or  ten  miles  below  New  Orleans,  was  about  the  only  one 
who  still  continued  the  cultivation  of  the  sugar-cane,  but  it  was 
for  the  purpose  of  converting  the  juice  into  rum.  Rum  was 
merchandise  which  even  then  had  a  great  sale.  The  numerous 
endeavors  which  he  made  to  extract  the  sugar  had  proved  fruit- 
less. This  plantation,  or  a  portion  of  it,  now  forms  part  of  the 
Olivier  property. 
In  1791,  A.  Mendez,  of  New  Orleans,  bought  from  Solis  his 
distillery,  ground,  and  canes,  with  the  firm  resolution  of  again 
trying  this  branch  of  industry,  and  of  conquering  all  difficulties. 
For  this  purpose  Mendez  employed  a  man  named  Morin,  who 
had  been  for  some  years  at  Hispaniola,  for  the  purpose  of 
studying  the  cultivation  of  the  cane,  and  the  manufacture  of 
syrup. 
But  whether  Mendez  had  not  sufficient  means  to  carry  on 
sugar  works  on  the  same  scale  as  in  Hispaniola,  or  whether  he 
doubted  of  complete  success,  he  only  made  some  few  barrels  of 
sugar  in  1791;  he  likewise  tried  to  refine  it,  for  in  1792,  Men- 
dez presented  to  Don  Rendon,  then  Intendant  of  the  province 
of  Louisiana  for  Spain,  some  little  loaves  of  sugar  refined  or 
bleached  by  him.  One  of  these  little  loaves  of  sugar  was  neces- 
sary to  sweeten  two  cups  of  coffee.  At  a  great  dinner  which 
lie  gave  in  that  year  to  the  authorities  of  New  Orleans,  the 
Intendant  Rendon  showed  this  sugar  to  the  guests  at  dessert  as 
a  product  of  Louisiana,  manufactured  by  A.  Mendez.  Until 
then  we  find  that  Mendez  and  Morin  had  only  made  a  very  small 
quantity  of  sugar,  as  it  was  exhibited  as  a  curiosity. 
In  1792,  Stephen  Bore,  whose  plantation  was  some  miles 
above  New  Orleans,  finding  his  fortune  much  diminished  in  con- 
sequence of  bad  crops  of  indigo,  determined  to  repair  his  losses 
by  the  manufacture  of  sugar.  This  enterprise  was  considered 
by  all  the  planters  as  visionary,  as  all  who  had  preceded  him 
had  completely  failed.  No  one  could  deter  him  from  it.  Bore, 
who  was  an  enterprising  and  active  man,  procured  some  canes 
