The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1878-08-03
The Yield of our Cane Fields.

To the Editor ofhe Pacific Commercial Advertiser 4:
SIR 1T is a long time since / have given any
sugar statistics TO the press. Indeed so many new
fields with extraordinary yields have been report
ed, that we almost feel that anything less than four
or five tons to the acre will hardly pay for the
working the following will be interesting TO
sugar planters, though others may be able to re-
port larger yields. Adjacent to the sugar-mill
buildings of the Kohala Sugar Company lies a
field of nearly 200 acres, from which the third crop
is now being taken. The first crop yielded from
p to 3 tons per acre, common white cane. The
second crop a few pounds short of 4 tons per acre,
Lahaina cane. OF the third or present crop, some
time since twenty acres had been taken of, and with
a result of a few pounds less than 7 tons per acre.
Mr.. Williams, the Manager, says the prospect is
that the average yield of the whole field will be 6
tons to the acre. The juice stands at loo Beaume,
In 1876 a deld Of 200 acres second or third crop.
plant cane. yielded 1000 tons of sugar. In 1877,
ZIG acres, being second or third crop. plant cane,
yielded l0G0s tons Of sugar. These yields /
think have all come from Lahaina cane.
The land has not been MANFRED, but is allowed
to lie, between the last cropping and replanting,
about three years with cattle turned in. This year
from IS acres of LIST ~rattoons q tons per acre have
been taken.
Mr.. Williams weighed 10 loads Of LIST RATION
cane and found it to be So. 260 lbs. which pro-
duced 81 McOnie CHARTERS Of 500 Imperial. or eco
wine gallons each, and yielded l0l01 lbs. 10 the
clarifer.
The field from which this was taken contained
81 acres. and the average yield Of sugar was I00l1
lbs. to the cIarider. The juice stood at a density
OF lO4 : Beaume.
The yield Of sugar indicated by the above IL a
small fraction over l 10. Of sugar to 10 lbs. Of cane.
Mr.. Watson. OF Mirlees, TAFT d Watson Of Glas-
Cow, Scotland, who has travelled extensively in
sugar growing countries, says that the richest cane
ba has found il IN npmarara ubera ha fanud cap.
weighing 10 $40 English tons, making ] English
ton Of sugar, which is a fraction over 9G-lO0 Of a
pound OF sugar to each ten pounds Of cane. / do
not know what was the density OF the Demarara
.juice.-probably about the same.
Another fact bearing more upon the advantage
Of perfect machinery has come under my notice,
, which will be Of interest TO those engaged in sugar
culture. The foregoing WELD Of sugar is something
over 2Gt ounces to the wine gallon. jnice standing
il01 .. The machinery is quite complete, the eva
poratiOn being commenced 10 the open steam train
and finished in the vacuum pan. Whilst in another
case with entire open steam train aud open Gre.
with Juice standing at To- The yield was bat -
ounces to the wine gallon. Much Of he difference
in the yield was no doubt due % the difference in
the machinery, though probably not all.
The latter standing : lower would not yield
quite as much under the same favorable circum-
stances. but the difference in a crop Of lOD0 tons
would be enough 20 go far towards Supplying the
more perfect machinery.
The machinery now BENG manufactured at the
Iron works by VT. Young, and that imported from
abroad, Is q u superior quality. and the sugar
planters for whom orders are being executed will
End themselves fully paid for the extra cost, in the
increased quantity Of sugar obtained.
As the yield of the juice cooked in the vacuum
pan above named was so much greater than juice Of
nearly the same density cooked in the open train, by
steam and open FIRE, the difference IN favor Of the
vacuum pan being full 81 per cent, it would be in
teresting TO hear from others who have had ex-
perience what their observation has been in this
matter. The vacuum pan, it is conceded, will give
a better yield and lighter color than the open train.
and an approximation, even, to the actual gain by
its use would form reliable data to guide the planter
as to the eEpediency Of substituting it for the less ex-
pensive open train. Facts tending to show the ad-
vantage Of the one over the other will be useful to
our planters, and | hope that any such may be given
to the press for the public benefit.
Truly yours, 5. ". CASTLE.