The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1880-07-28
Varieties of the Sugar-Cane.
NUMBER ".

Inc plan OH WHICH, suSoi Soe"eS
in this colony is laid out is described
in the first "Report on Thorough
Drainage" by the late DIR. Shier, ag'
ricuitural chemist to the colony
page 10:
1.-THE plantations laid$ ont for the
most part by the Dutch, are on a
uniform plan. They are generally
narrow rectangular strips OF land,
with facade or water frontage on
the coast, the rivers or canals.
Exceptional cases occur where,
from an estate being prevented from
extending far back, extra facade has
been allowed, giving to the estate
more of square form. Every estate
is bounded by four dams the front
dam excluding the sea, river or canal
the back dam, parallel to the former,
and excluding the bush water, which,
in heavy weather, is very consider.
able, and would inundate the cultiva-
ton. The clay thrown out in form
ing the adjacent canals or trenches
affords the material of which the
dams are formed. Along each of
the remaining sides there runs dam
from front TO back. These are usu-
ally termed side lines. They are
common to two contiguous estates,
and prevent the influx of water from
the sides. Thus the very long rect
angular strip of land is surrounded
with dams, which, when kept free
from bush, answer the purpose OF a
road round the estate; but the pro-
duce is brought to the buildings
(otten situated in 'front.' by canals.
In fact, water transport OF produce is
universal. The arrangement of the
navigation system Is very simple.
From front to back, and right in the
center OF the estate, there runs dam
called the middle walk, with canal
on each side of it. These are termed
center canals, and are wide enough to
admit Of two punts passing each other.
The dam forms a path tor the cat
tie that draw the punts. AT regular
and comparatively shorts intervals
branch canals strike off at right
angles from the centre canals, and
proceed to within rod of the drain
ing or side-line trenches, which are
parallel to the side dams before des-
cribed, and adjacent TO them. These
! y NJ ~ gz1ais constifIj9 the TRAINS
verse boundaries of the fields, and
navigation canals thus lie on three
sides of every field, and admit of
canes being carried by short path
to the punts. On some estates there
is only single center navigation
canal. These canals are principally
supplied by the rain, but in pro-
tracted droughts, and especially
when they are shalloy, they are lia-
bic to run short of"&ater; hence
whenever access can be got to creek,
lake, OF bush water, it is brought
trom behind to supply the navigation
system. In other instances salt water
has to be taken in from the front
when cane crop cannot otherwise
be got off the ground The drainage
of an estate is equally simple. From
back to front, and Immediately ada
cent to the side.line dams, run the
two main draining trenches, generally
dug considerably deeper than the
navigation canals. The small drains,
again, cut at distances two to three
rods apart, commence within a bed
Of the middle walk side OF the field,
and terminate in the sideline drain
ing trenches, being dug with tall
in that direction. The small drains
are thus at right angles with the
main raining trenches. III the front
dam the sluices or kokers, are placed.
Sometimes there is only one OIL an
estate, but generally TWO, one at the
end OF each draining trench. The
main draining trenches are generally
connected together by trench run
ming along behind the front DAM"
The processes employed III the
manufacture Of sugar are as follows;
The cane juice is received from the
mill into clsterns or boxes, where
such proportion Of lime is added as
is considered necessary tor its proper
detecation. 1t is thence run into
series OF cast-iron vessels called cop
pers," which are built into brick
work, and heated by the direct action
OF a single fire in the ordinary man.
ner. In these the juice is, as tar as
possible, cleansed by means OF skim.
ming, and eraporated down until it
has reached that degree Of conceu-
tlalion technically known as the
striking point" when it is transferred
into Shall0w wnnden Vessels and al :.