Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1857-02-28
A Sugar Plantation.

An American sojourning in Cuba gives an
interesting account Of one Of the class Of large
plantations on that island. There are about
1000 acres Of land, nearly three quarters of
which are under cultivation with sugar cane.
the remainder being devoted 10 grazing and
plantan fields. The product Of this estate
averages 10000 boxes and 1000 hhds sugar,
and its income at present prices $3.50, ,OOO.-
About one half ofthis sum will be profit. There
are on the estate $50 hands-350 negroes and
25O Chinese. The other so are overscers, cart.
men, coopers. engineers, &c. There are 50
ox-carts for drawing the cane to the mill, and
600 oxen, four being used 10 every cart, aud
they are relieved twice day. The buildings
on the estate make quite village. Besides
the sugar house, there ale the dwelling houses
for the owner and the overseers, the driving
houses the hospital, the barracoons for the slaves
and even nursery for the children 0f the slaves.
The sugar house here is the principal at,rac-
tion. II is all one floor, and very large There
are two large rolling mills for crushing the
cane, each with three rollers six feet long, and
placed on the top of Two, the cane feeding itself
aud passing under Que aud over the other two
rollers ii comes out sseeezfAh The adTce rd6s dowt
into troughs. The rollers are set very close,
within an eighth of an inch Of each other,
and the pressure is enormous. To drive the
rollers there is an engine Of SO horse power
The juice is carried by pumps TO a set of four
teen kettles, where By steam it is condensed,
and then il runs through body OF carbon or
burnt bone in another sci of cisterns. 1t is
then carried TO a vacuum pan, where il is evap-
Grated than over set Of copper pipes for con-
dcnsaliOn, again through the charcoal for de-
colorng, then into another vacuum pan, where
il is boiled to a crys,alizing point 1t is then
carried off To another part Of the building. and
by copper ladies' is emptied into the sugar moulds
holding about GO pounds each, where in anoth-
er day ii is ready for cloying. This process is
only followed for box sugar, which is always
clayed, while that packed in hogshcads is call
ed muscoyado, and is packed into the casks in
green state, where it is then allowed to purge
itself for Is or 90 days, aud is then ready fol
shipment.
The process Of claying is this. The moulds
containing the green sugar are placed on long
floor in a room holding from 800 TO 1000 moulds
the point OF the mould is below the level Of ih(
floor, which is made with square holes for he
snen1g atftne 'hOroin-i is Taken out, and on th
base or upper flat surface of The sugar is place.
a quantity Of black pasiy clay, which has tn
, property of distributing the wafer very equal,
through it, The clay is wet and the waie
filters slowly through the body of the sugar car
rying with il all color, aud leaving the base o
the cone perfectly white. This process is re
peaed several times. and the sugar is kept il
this house for about twenty days. 1t is the
! turned out of the moulds into large, open, fiat
wooden trays, and the different layers of sran
of sugar are divided by negro with larg
, cleayer, into white, brown and yellow, tina
nearest the point is still colored with molasses
5 and not very dry These several classes ar
5 all kept by themselves, and the sugar is drie
0 either by the sun or by ovens, and then packe
. into boxes holding about 400 pounds EACH
J These are then nailed and strapped by piece
. Of green COW hide, in narrow strips, the boxe
n weighed, branded aud ready for transport ,
e market. Traveller.