The Hawaiian gazette., 1877-01-24
FoarRosr. n. b.. Aur. 20. $50.

Contented People.-Does the System Pay7-
Double Roller Mills in America.
FORrRosE. N. B., Aug 2s. 1875.
The varieties Of cane cultivated the United States
AID that section of the West Indies it has been my
privilege to visit surprisingly few. In the United
States 1 but Eve varieties, four of which-the
Malabar, 0taheite, green cane of New Caledonia
(namei Creole there), and TrebOe are common in
Queensland did not old friend Bourbon in
the States, which was the surprising. owing to
previous impression that that variety is amongst
the hardy sorts, in SO far as cold weather is
cerned.
The place Of the Bourbon in Louisiana is occupied
by what seems to be a thoroughly good variety of
Robin cane, which had not previously seen. This
variety is much the same in stripes and color the
large Robin of the colonies; but the joints
different. The of each joint goes in instead of
bullying out, and the habit of growth is more like
that of Chigacca than ordinary Robin It is
undoubtedly hardy variety-the hardest, richest,
and altogether the best grower in the States Touch
ed by frost as most of their nearly every
year. they run greater risks naturally suPposes,
Of falling prey to dsease than in favored eli
mates Yet the only complaints concerning this cane
heard in America refer to attacks by bOTer and by
rats. In Texas aud Florida 1 heard of disease
something like rust The eano suffered badly from it
some years since; but specimens Of cane di.
seased could be obtained The crop was growing
very thrifty while 1 there. hope to make
another visit however, being DESTROYS of learning
much as possible of this disease.
Rats are a rather SERIOUS pest. and amongst other
at lime tn
reties of snakes that war against that kill and
devour them. Just to think Of such thing Cats,
it appears, become beHldered amonst the canes and
will not hunt, as otis their nature to-" But the
trouble is extra serious. although good
many gnsxed canes thrown aside at the mills, and
still greater number 10 the fed.
The ribbon cane referred to seems desirable sort
Tor Australia, and arrangements have been made with
gentlemen in louisiana for parcels of it being
the colony in exchange for Bourbon, Salangore Chi
gacea, and other which American planters
would like to try. The road, trust, is thus opened
for exchanges with planters in both countries.
In the places visited during this trip one sees a
great variety of machinery and appurenanees for
making sugar, as well as considerable differences 10
the treatment Of the cane in the field, and the con-
version of its juices into sugar. Yet there is a SINH
larty nearly everywhere to the machinery and prac
tice Of other Of the plantations Of CO.
lOny. To 90 through the whole seridtiu, therefore,
would make these communications by letter tedious
ly long. To avoid this shall, for the present at
tempt to describe the most noteworthy and the least
noteworthy for Queensland planters-the points or
practice from which may be able to learn, and
those whose mistakes may form something for US to
steer Gle lr Of.
The examples from which we may be able to profit
are confined to Louisiana in the United States, and
TO Martinique and Guadeoupe in the French West
- r
ish, American and French manufacture, in Cuba,
and during brief stay that island several
plantations on the route via Campo Florida to Mat
anEas, but the country unsettled by war, and
by military movements, that advised to keep
we'll within the lines of the royal army" Prudence
added that this the best course but it prevented
my seeing much Of the sugar business in Cuba as
should have liked. Visitors the island arc much
restricted, owing to the activity of the " rebels +"
unfortunate starving Creoles, negroes and China
men, in SO far as saw who were, judging by the
reports sent into Havana burning and Staying every
day. The officials were, therefore, suspicious and
cautious in granting privileges to foreigners II have
been a foreigner for some ten months now), and
journey any investigation could only be made
under surveillance. 1t was rough, while peaoeably
looking through field Of care and inspecting the
varieties, to be suspected of looking whether the
whole in fit condition to burn and sus-
pected too by gangs of dark visaged gentry, every
one Of whom had one more shooting appliances,
aud probably finger on trigger. Cuba is very
interesting country, very; but strangers do
main there any longer than they help. That
/ was my case. In the neighborhood Of Matanza are
several fine plantations. most of the labor of which
surprised to find is done by Cinnamon. The tri-
pie vacuum arrangement for evaporatng, bone black
for fltering, the single pau for finishing the
boiling up to granulation point and ordinary under
driven contrifugals, make up the machinery in use.
After short stay at St. Thomas 1.-THE central point
/ of West Indian traffic. l reached Guadeloupe the
nearest Of the French West India islands, which
/ the main object of the journey. From st. Thomas
any of the islands can be reached with comfort and
facility. Sugar is the staple Of conversation among
travellers in these mail boats aud is thus enabled
to learn what is being done in the various islands,
and what Improvements are going The labor
question is frequent subject of conversation and
speaking with and hearing the expressed convictions
of gentlemen of Jamaica, Demerara, Trnitad, Gui.
and other sugargrowing countries where coolie
| labor 10 one form or other is employed and after
comparing the opinions of these gentlemen with what
one learns in Cuba and Porto Rco-where slavery OF
the patriarehal character prevails-snd again com.
pares with the small tenant and absolute free labor
system of the French islands, the conviction is an en-
forced that the latter system is the best for
country like ours 1t certainly is the most reliable
and judging by the present state Of prosperity Of the
respective islands, it is the satisfactory the
capitalists. well to the smaller land owners.
Although there is similarity in the approach to
/ all the West India islands reached up 10 this time
Guadeloupe differs from the others in being still
billy and rugged than they; that is at first sight.
As the vessel approaches the land, its character
changes rapidly, and have in each of the islands
visited pictures q grand scale Of rich tropical
scenery. Although purely accidental, it has hap
pened that each of the islands 10 succession has been
reached nghtfall and it became object of lively
interest to see the rough mountain outline of midday
flor these islands many hours ere a landing
is reaehed gradually melt into the familiar patches
Of green indicative Of canefelds and then the
lights gmmer out as night fell and the port reached
The foreigner is not molested much on landing at
Basseterre Gaudeloupe. The hotel to which was
recommended is said to be conducted upon the
| American plan. That is, the guests provided
with board as we'll sleeping accommodation. But
ahn RnssnLerrn American hntnl is The nnnintnst