Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-05-22
A GREAT SUGAR ESTATE.
How the Cane is Raised and Handled
in Cuba.
Correspondence Times Democrat.


ton, some two miles distant, through a
gently rolling country, well covered with
palms, and now and then dotted with soil
tary ceiba trees, cacti, castor OIL bean
plants and clambering wild morning glo-
RES The ceiba is the largest tree grown
in Cuba, and the islanders are naturally
proud of it. There is something certainly
unique in the rambling umbrella top and
the sleek, corpulent trunk Of this singular
looking tree.
In the town we passed the palatial resi-
dence of the owner of the estate which we
we're about to vista widow named An
tonia Otamendi. When l use the word
palatal tine reader must dismiss all con-
yentiaI ideas of what is signihed by
the term and conceive of a vast one
stored building in stucco, tinted with
blue and pink and other snowy colOrs,
rising out of a beautiful tropical garden
that is forbidIngly walled in. Although
but one story high, the Cuban country
palace is loftier than your two-storied
American mansion; but the spread OF the
palace horizOntally-ott as ample as
that of a whole city Observation-Disclosures to
4 some extent the idea of height
Presently we came to a gate across the
road supplied with a small guardhOuse
To the lelJ.
A PALATIAL RESIDENCE.
4 man emerged from this house, and
upon the presentation of our pass drew
aside the gate, allowing us to drive in.
Great care is now exercised on these
plantations in the distribution of entrance
privileges. Up to recently any Havana
Interpreter could get permit for any
company to inspect any plantation. But
the raVages and hordes OF American tour
lists of the inquisitive, relic-tiend order
have forced the proprietors to cry halt.
Some parties would be so large that they
& crowded the mills, and could not be con-
uolled. The attention of the operatives
was seriously distracted. Worse than
this, some prying mgrates in the party
s. tWere liable to insist upon visiting the ne
gro quarters and criticise them, when eX-
pressly forbidden to intrude there.
Thus letters of introduction have now
become necessary as an open sesame to
Cuban sugar plantation.
Inside of the gate was a curious and
busy scene. For miles in every direction
stretched away the broad acres of the
estate, largely denuded of cane at this
II season of the year, since the grinding pc
Rod commences in November or Deem
Der and closes in May. But where the
cane had already been cut fresh green
shoots were starting from the roots. The
soil of Cuba is so rich that cane once
planted viii perpetuate itself naturally
teen years in the case of ribbon cane. But
an undiminishing crop is secured by peri
Odicallylaying stalks Ofthe cane in parallel
rows upon the ground, so that the canes
overlap, and allowing the buds at each
81 Joint to spFout.
When the ground is run out it is plowed,
generally with steam plows, which will
often pillow eight inches deep.
There are some plantations in the island
which yield 1900 hogsheads of sugar or
more per season, have their own steam
plOws in plentiful quantity, possess rail-
roads and half dozen Baldwin locomO-
tives with which to handle the distant
81 crop manufacture their own gas, employ
from 800 to 700 hands, and spend $3.50, 900
l# annually in running expenses.
.# In st. CrOiX and some of the West India
islands it is customary to renew the land
II by planting the canes vertically in the
ground.
THE TOLEDO PLANTATION.
This Toledo plantation was once all run
out, and the proprietor renewed it by Sc
curing the right to haul from Havana by
railroad every night the garbage and filth
that accumulated on the streets during
the day, paying a certain sum for this
privilege. This eXpedient made the plan
tation smell abominably for time, but it
brought in bOuntiful returns in the way OF
an increased annual yield.
As we advanced, driving parallel to the
& private plantation railroad and toward
the "batey'' or open square where are
located the buildings of the estate, we
came upon portions of the plantation
where the cane was only now being cut.
1t was interesting to watch the negro
men, women and children, with their
machettes-long, broad, One-edged, sword
like knlves-mowing down the field Of
tasseled cane. One blow of the glistening
weapon cut the stalk close to the ground,
another severed the foliaged top. and then
third, as the laborer tossed the cane
E from him, cut it IN two IN the centre while
it was yet in midair. All this was accom-
pished with the rapidity and skill born
OF lifetime of practice. The tops of the
cane are relished by the animals of the
Il estate, and thus every part OF this iIlpor-
tant product is utilized.
Toiling up the roads of the plantation
were long lines of clumsy two-wheeled
carts, drawn each by one or two yOkes OF
oxen, transporting the cane to the mill
house, whence proceeded the bee-like hum
Of WhirIng machinery.
We followed the cane carts, breathing
an atmosphere that was heavy with the
sickish sugar smell which emanates from
a plantation, until we alighted in the
shadow of the tall smoking chimney which
IN this FIAT country can be discerned for
miles.
Cuban mOlasses is sometimes sold SIM
ply as a syrup, but, in the case of the To-
ledo and other leading plantations, is con-
Quoted through underground pipes to an
other building, where 1t is manufactured
Into tirst-class West India rum. This IS
found more profitable than selling it as
lmolasses
The liberality of the Toledo manage
'nent is illustrated by the fact thar a
generous c0rnucOpia Of the square brown
Fry stalls If presented 70 each visitor.
looked away toward the negro quar-
Eefs Wistfully. but my young Cuban pilot
"a egreuplly assured me that they must re-
main terra incognita TO me. All l could
Pee was vast hollow square walled in
~ dormitOues two stories high, and con-
aiming hospital, nursery, storerooms. re-
IA sctofy, clothing, supplies, etc. A large
ssaiment Of rude, glistsnng black
ickanlnics were PLAYING about When
le noon whistle blew everything shut
uWn, and the negroes repaired % their
uAFiers, most Of them chewing the sue
dlent sugar cane as they went. ! no.
ceu no Chinese ou the Toledo plan
N iuoh. Falling into conversation with
IA .e superintendent, through my Cuban
reno as Interpreter, l learned some adj
HMI itlOUnl fHpfe