The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1878-02-16
Our 0liu.
From III. Nerg York O5serser.
SUGAR-MAKING IN FLORIDA
BY NJ. Z. wINsLow.

The weather has been cold-very eslC
for Florida; yesterday the hoar-frost lay
on the white sand, and in the moonlight i
seemed as though all Palatka was buried
under the snow; bananas stand in black
ened ugliness; the few deciduous tree.
look wintry and forlorn the poincetta
usually brilliant in its Christmas scarlet
hangs dropping on its stem, aud delicate
roses and japonicas have yielded to the
conquering frost king Our opinions fol
a week past have been entirely antgonistic
to the vaunted perfection of southern
climate as we piled the great logs into
the open fre-places, and shiveringly wrap
ped ourselves in travelling cloaks and
shawls.
But to-day there is a great change
Clear, bright sunshine; warm, summer-like
air seems to unite in whispering, "What q
lovely day, and by way Of codicil, to oadd
"Too lovely to stay even within these
hospitable walls"
Just at this juncture the children Of
our entertainers came in with intelligence
of sugar-boiling in the neighborhood, and
it does not take long for the joint persua-
sions of sun, air and children to compass
our walking down the sandy slope, BY
courtesy denominated lawn, and taking
seats in the gaily-painted row-boat with
white oars, which is soon skimming the
smooth water like q blue-bird with white
wings
Now, this is the perfection of southern
idleness, motion without exertion. At
times the water is smooth as glass, mirror
ing the tall "live oaks, with their ghostly
drapery of gray moss, and the quaint, ugly
cabbage palms, with their surrounding
foot-high forests of young palmettos. Then
a slight breeze sweeps along the ST. John,
and Immediately all the reflections break
into thousand fragments of commingled
ripples of dark brown water and deep blue
sky.
The river is mile wide here, and we
have three-mile row to reach our desti-
nation on the other shore; so there is plenty
of time to study the tree forms so new to
northern eyes, and to become familiar with
ungainly bleached trees which the moss
has killed in weaving their shrouds; and
quaint little cottages open to the breeze
but rooted from the weather with thatches
of palmetto, and surrounded with festoons
of drying moss, of which Florida beds are
almost universally made. The course of
the river is so winding that one imagines
himself to be in lake with no perceptible
outlet, and the strange sensation which one
always has in going dOloR stream which
runs north, adds to his confusion. The
banks are low, sedgy, and the trees aud
bushes nearest the water are empowered
and almost hidden from view by great
masses of purple and white morning glory
vines.
As we near the smooth, white sand
where We are to land, great lily leaves
here called bonnets-spread themselves
just beneath the water surface, and be-
tween them may be seen the quivering
forms of MOSES that one might call sea-
weed, did they not grow in fresh water
river
But here we are at rest, where spring
ashore and short walk between shrubs
of guava and cape jessamine bring us to
the site of the sugar-boiling and into the
company of Florida crackers
Florida crackers are simply the white
inhabitants of the riverside and back k-coun-
try, at whose "raising" the schoolmaster
did not preside, and whose general attire
is innocent of sacrifices at the shrine of
the fashion-goddess.
The sugar-boiling is of the most primi-
tive description; modern inventions do not
find favor with the aboriginal inhabitants
of these regions; evaporators and maehin-
cry which reduce labor require too much
capital, and, year after year, the sugar is
made in precisely the same manner as their
fathers and grandfathers have made it for
years and years.
The picture which presents itself as we
walk up from the boat is very unique
one. To the left is a great field of sugar
cane, looking more like giant corn-feld
than anything else to which we could COM
pare it. Two negro men, clad in rags,
are busy, the one cutting down the stalks,
which are from eight to ten feet high; the
other cutting off the top or leafy part,
which is carefully preserved and planted
again in few weeks, as the seed for next
years crop. A wrinklod old black "Aun-
ty trots back and forth with her arms
full of canes, which she throws down in a
heap at the foot of the mill.
The mill could only receive Justice at
the hands of photographer. There is a
frame of heavy oak, blackened by age, four
uprights and eight cross-pieces, which sup
port two rusty iron cylinders surmounted
by cogs. Above the pivot on which these
turn is a great heavy leg of wood, with the
bark on, fastened to it by one iron pin and
by another to a long wooden bar, which
has been broken and splieed in one place,
to the end of which mule is attached by
a species of harness which is certainly not
wanting in variety, whatever may be its
other deficiencies. First there are traces
of rusty chain attached to a smaller wood
en- bar which is pinned to the first about
one-third from its end; then heavy rope
connects the main bar with the animal
collar which is of wood, resting an a cush-
ion Of braided palmetto, and, finally, a
pair of leather reins reach from the bit to
the extreme point of the bar.
Thus accoutred, the animal commences
dreary circles, stopping suddenly every now
and then, apparently to take a nap, from
which he is aroused by piece of sugar
: cane, converted for the time being into a
missile. Close to the mill, ducking every
time the revolving bar comes in dangerous
proximity to her head, stands a female
: cracker, the like of which-as to tangled
curly hair, swarthy skin, wild staring eyes
and uncouth costume, word and gesture
these nothern eyes have not often gazed
upon. With almost masculine strength
she forces the ends of the canes between
the cylinders and they are soon crushed
fat while steady stream of sap runs
through short wooden trough into bar
rel set to receive it. Taste this foamy
stream and you will find it pleasant and
refreshing, though rather insipid.
The proprietor now appears, and, with
an assistant, carries of buckets full of the
sap, which is emptied into two copper
= caldrons sunk in a low brick furnanee
which is constantly fed with brush-wood
; and cane-trash, the latter, however, being
f more valuable for the purpose of manurins
the orange groves.
Three hours of boiling suffice: We arc