Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1856-03-12
Cuba--nranuracturing Sugar.

1 Cuba..MunufacturinS sugar.
: In the Southern Christian Advocate we find a
interesting lettertro an American in Cuba, tror
which we extract the following. The write
: was guest at the sugar estate known as III
"Flower of Cuba" and says:
This estate contains five thouaand acres OF pro
duclive lands. We rode for hours through I'm
mense fields ofsugar cane, twelve to eighteen lee
high. These fields are divided by beautliu
avenues of royal palm and mango trees. Many O
the trees are sixty to eighty feet high. in the dis
tance looking like white marble columns. The.
commence cutting the cane in December, and th
ton is used as food dor cattle. In Louisiana th'
cane has to be renewed annually-here, once IL
ten or fifteen years. 1t is hauled in carts draw
by oxen to the sugar mill, which is usually located
lin the centre of the farm. The cane is passet
between two large iron rulers, and the juice II
pressed out, flowing through troughs into tanks
tu be purified 1t is next pumped into clstern'
and bniIed TO syrup. On this estate they make
both clayed and Muscovado sugars. The former
is made in tin moulds, in the shape of a funnel
holding fifty pounds. These vessels are filled
with green sugar on the top is placed layer o.
clay two inches thick, and they are left three
weeks to drip and dry. The clay is then removed
and you have loaf Of sugar, which is divided
into three qualities. The top being the whtest,
il is packed into boxes of four hundred pounds
each, and is known in the commercial world as
Havana box sugar.
The best quality of Muscovado sugar is made
by The centrifugal process. The raw material is
poured into machine, which is turned by steam
with great rapidly. In few minutes you have
well grained dry sugar, which is packed in
hogsheads. is The qnaty shipped to the U. 8.
while the clayed article goes mainly to Europe
Lime, blood, and animal bones. are used in the
manufacture of sugar. The crushed cane is dried
and serves as fuel to heat the kettle in which the
supar is bull ed-wood being scarce article in
this part of the Island. Formerly The grinding
was done by OK power, but recently the American
enpne has been introduced. The buildings and
machinery on this estate cost three hundred thou
sand dollars. They work eight hundred hands,
and about one thousand oxen, for five months IN
the wear. The mill runs night and day-Sunday
and Monday. Three hundred acres are planted
in vegetables. fruit, ect., for the negroes. They
will make this year twelve thousand boxes and
two thousand hhds sugar, besides several thousand
bhds. molasses. The products of this farm would
he worth in the Charleston market, one million
dullars The good people of the Palmetto State
have to paw duty Of thirty dollars per hogs
head, to protect the La. sugar planters before,
thew are permitted to sweeten their coffee with
Cuban sugar.
The family were invited to dinner party at
St Helene. and said they would be pleased to
have me accompany them, assuring me OF a
welcome. There had an opportunity of seeing
and hearing much of the manners and customs OF
of the Cuban ladies'. found them intelligent
and educated and as they spoke English, was
% much pleased with my visit that spent several
| davs al ST. Helene. We discussed cuban matters
freely and unreservedly. was pleased TO be
corrected where had formed erroneous opinions
When introduced 10 a Creole lady, you think
her flat and uninteresting. IL is the fashion to
appear as Indifferent as possible-she, however,
snnn becomes animated and then look out tor
those bewi,ching eyes and that soft sweet voice
The education of The females is too much neg
llected. and then they much restricted IN their
;nt.rcourse with the world. very intelligent
uentleman told me that the men did not wish To
have their wives know as much as they did.
told him in our country ignorant wives were the
mothers OF dull, stupid boys.
| Tn the lower classes the men and women are
both iuuorant and indoent They have no
ambition to improve their condition, morally or
phy physically-genetally living in miserable huts.-
The glory of the men, is to attend cock and bull
I fights. gamble and roll nine pins, and the women
smoke and idle their time. Not book or
newspaper is 10 be seen in their houses, ard they
have no knowledge of the world beyond the pre-
scrbed limits Of the Island The luxuriant flow
ers. which cover their thatched cottages, afford
no pleasure to the occupants. 1t isa waste o'
beauty and fragrance on uncultyated asles:-
The higher Glasses will no more associate with
them than with their servants.
You find among the educated Cubans burn
inc hatred of the Spanish yoke, and they are
ready to throw it off, whenever they can be as
sured garotte will not be their fate, but this
class is too feeble and closely watched TO accom-.
plish much, without foreign aid. ] know several
planters who pay twenty to thirty thousand dol
lars taxes, aud they have no more voice or Innu
uence in the government than their slaves. lhe
Captain General, Governors, and all who are IN
command are Spaniards, and appointed at the
vrtuous az Court of Madrid Every barrel Of
A,ur mported from foreign country pays duty
os ten dollars! and they are not allowed 10 grow
wheat On their own land. Think ofa little Island
like Cuba, supporting standing army OF ior'y
thousand soldiers, who fatten and revel on the
substance of this oppressed people! The veal
ihiest planter in Cuba is not permitted to go ten
miles from home without ''permlI' IRON
Spanish officer.