The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1878-01-12
Sugar Making in the West Indies.

sugar Making IN the "esI
Let US follow a piece of cane. In field close
/ are forty men cutting canes, Whlle lorty "oui-
II lop off the green parts and tie the rest into
aIgh bundles. These are carried to the trace 10
H1ule wagon, as no wheels are alio"eu W Ml'hlh
field, for fear Of injuring the roots. Ihence
y are brought to the yard and thrown DOWN
kse to the door of the mill Thereupon issue
hg. a norton Of about fifty coolies, who are
bploved in the works, and each takes about a
kzen canes, twists a piece of rope round Tor the
inyenience of carriage, and, bearing them ON,
posts them in tray slOplng to the crushing
Al. This consists of three revolving cylinders,
Inning a triangle, and being about four feet
be bV two in diameter, The cane passes IN be-
ieen two of these, plump and tat, ana comes ;, OUT
Ie other side mangled piece OF s. megass,' or
lbegass," as it is less frequently called, with
lrdly PARTICLE Of moisture left in 1t. The me-
lss is carried off through the opposite side OF
L building, and spread out to dry, after which
is used for burning under the sugar pans, CIV
y a clear, hot flame The juice or - liquor,
ns out from under the mill IN a continuous
keam, looking just like dirty water, and tasting
Ey nasty. Going through various sIeyes to
bar il from small pieces of cane and dirt, 1t runs
30 the first of n line of cOppers. These coppers
~ both in number and size; in different works !;
ere may be four or five, or even Elk. The hrst
the largest, of from 400 to 600 gallons, the
bpers being largest when their number is least;
last, called the - teache," of 100 to I2O gal
bs
Erhe liquor is warmed in the first copper, and,
ier having the dirt skinned off, is gradually
lied from one into the other, until 1t reaches
- teache - and boiling point at the same
ne After boiling for a while, strike y IL
bde, and the teache,' which is now full of Ii
id sugar, called - sIIng,' is emptied into the
bier, shallow wooden or iron tray. Here 1t
snains for two days, being stirred at times to
fdk the crust and cause 1t 10 granulate; 1t Is
In put into hogsheads, each holding about a
b, in which it stands for q considerable time to
~ the noltsaes (,reacle) to drain out, and ID
"a closed up and shipped for England.
Hhe ho. .,sheads containing the newly made su
.are ut standing in a store adjoining the
Ks, floor consisting of open beams
o. ase the molasses drains, and is collect
;. .anKs, or coppers set into the ground be-
!; thence when the opportunity for sale ar
it is simply strained into casks. The skim
The boiling cOppers is separated into two
the worst being thrown into the manure
C rest being spread upon the g chop-chop,"
green part of the canes, chopped up in
utting machine, and on which the mules
zen thrive well. Good molasses is also
IN the food, or mixed with the water of
lie, plenty of lime being added to prevent
vie of the works described above is the
| and oldest, yet makes as good sugar as
til comparatively lately, most of the
re worked by cattle, and the circular
shelter may yet be seen, now turned INTO
lrracks or workshops. Nater-power Is
Il. but fortunately the last estate with
I'll set up a steam engine two years ago;
.-.5 .Iy as this year there would be lnsuth-
Jas ter for the purpose. In Barbados, with
o exceptions, windmills are used. Having no
luntains to cause shelter, and being in the CEN
of the trade wind, or, as it is called on land,
/ crop wind, >" which blows steadily during
| spring months, they can always work, but
/ process is tedious though cheap.
\ n Martinique and Guadalupe - usines y have
leIy been introduced, which belong to compa-
= These have no estates Of their own, but
h their canes, SO that the neighbOring estates
Re nothing to do but to grow their canes. In
ss way, poor people can grow sugar ON little
IS of land, which they would not otherwise be
ie to do. Most of the works IN Trinidad have
y the latest improvements clarItIers, large
> IN which the liquor is heated by steam pipes
iore passing into the boiling cOppers; g. vacuum
ms, - in which the molasses Is exhausted and the
lar made quite white; steam pans and dozen
er Inventions The boiling cOppers are also
heraIIy reduced TO three in number, large, with
II teaches of small size, SO that the strikes may
more freouent but IN less quantity One mill
1t saw had four coppers and three teaches.
COming out from the n IL, 1t being then NJ
before noon, found all the coolies returning
im their davis work On inquiry, iound that
\ h had completed his 90 task, or the piece VI
rk allotted by law for a days labor, and,
refore. had done his work for the day. There
many people in England who cry out about
nigration and indentured labor, who surely
,w nothing about il. What laborer in Eng
a would not be glad to change his lot Tor sucn
ne as the following? l take first the most ia
able case. The coOlie is supplied with house,
lospitaI. and medical attendance II Ill, earns
rty cents (ifteen pence) a day, and can 90 tha1
rs labor between the hours of seven a. N. ana
{ M. pasturage for his cow, and as muca land as
chooses to clear ard cultivate in his leisure
1rs and on Sundays. Adding to this that his
5,enses for clothes are not more than nominal,
-ino as they do, for man, of cloth round the
: ond a Jacket: that fuel need not be bought;
1 household furniture consists of two or three
Z ,;,.1-nans and board TO sleep on, the latter
In ss,npIied with the house; that his food costs,
I'll lutslde, four pence Il day, if he does not
'v 1; on his own plot-what wonder, say,
AZ returns to his own country with large
ne. that, contrasting his present condition
"a that from which he came-a worse climate,
l.ap IT fourpence or sixpence day, and period
mi tamines-he loses his cringing habits and be-
mes independent (and mayhap at times little
fde1. and grows fat and sleek? Those who saw
4 1t indentnred labor in the West Indies is but
very under another name, should come and see
themselves and they might then, perhaps.
a,,,er Eity the poor hirer who has to supply ali
Be-e GOOD things for the man, and is liable, in
zJit;0n. to unexpected visits from government
ficiaIs. and pains and Ponalties.-La1ld and Va
4 WEES LETTER.-My dear husband; I got