, 1890-07-23
Cuban Central FactOrIes,s
Local Railways and
New Cane Fields.
louisiana Planter }

louisiana PtGnteF.)
Nothing of p~articul ar moment, at least
of industrial signif Ca nee, has occurred
since my last. There have been heavy
rains in many sections, and some factories
nave concluded 10 conclude without finish
ing. In the jurisdiction of Matanzas, at
least Notwithstanding the fact that the
season has been a most prOpitiOus one 1Or
g~rinding-for there has scarcely been a
shower throughout The whole campaign
sufficient to wet the hagaSSe or deter cart
age-there are an unusual number OF eS-
tates which have still cane to work. This
seems to be due to the great lncreaseln the
amount produced by the independent cane
growers to sell in open market. In some
neighbOnrhOods there has actually been a
super abundance of raw material, aud un-
less factories increase their plants it is
quite likely there will be quite a reduction
in the price next season. The fall I'D the
price of sugar makes this an i'm perAtlie
necessity in many cases.
The cara estate, in the jurisdiction OF
Remedies, has closed the campaign will an
output of AZ, 900 sacks, probably OF the
usual weight of 325 pounds each. This Is
becoming a common sized crop tor the
larger class of central factories, and may
be supposed to innl"Ae only first sugars.
The ConstancIa. central factory, according
to report, had made over 10000 SACKS III
the first week in May, or over 3Z,uOO,uOU
hounds. This factory has a lage dlstIllt ~,
and therefore makes mOiAsSes sugars, out
these it is said are not lnC!nded III. the
above figures. 1t has still more cane lett
than, it can grind during all HE rest of ~"
month. I he crop 0f this VAST estate would
have been greater II ia nS hast been more
frequent duIing the growing season, fnr u
counted npOn over $3.50 acres of new field,
all fall planting Of last year, but, probably,
although the plant WAS somewhat lnGreas-
ed to meet this new demand upon 1t, "A
large portion of increase would have been
left standing in the field. 1t is to be sup"
posed that next year, it the season is ia
vOrable, tie crop will AT least verge np0n
the 10000 hogsheadS, if it does not exceed
that amount, but two new mills Will De
needed to make it in due time.
There appears to be Z eater activity here
ia prospecting foc mines, owing probably 10
the success of the Amerie III company ut
Juragua. AT ST Jhgo another iron mine
has b6ln '~'denOunced' as it is called her,
and also one Of ferrO. manganese. In the
jurisdiction of ManZanillo two manganese
mines have also been claimed. tn miner
al, resources of the country are, perhaps,
much greater than has been supposed, for
ID EdIRS CGtSHb Va tNO AASOuhN"AAVNC AO6AOnS
are virtually unexplOred. 1t is stated that
only about one-6fth of the island is settled,
and deductiug the largetracts devoted ex.
cluSiYely to stock raising, and those that
have been cleared for ~husbandry and are
now lying waste from one cause or another
perhaps not oue'third of the territory de.
nuded of its forests is really nnder culti-s
vation.. soIsn3a gauI4a nsIsEG@ tsI -.
Until quite recently no fertilization has {.
been attempted, and even now dOnly upon
dthe large estates, and; consequently. when 2
the lands dedicated ia zane culture, be-
came gradually exhausted the prOprietors
were ruined with their lands, or, else these {
we're abandoned and the machinery moved
10 some new section of virgin SOIL The
fields Of many of the great factories of to. 4
day are s0impOverished that they require
large quantities Of manure to- produce a.
crop, but the Ignorance ofthe methods of
scientific fertilization and economy of Ia.
bonri il so, complete in the immense ma.
joritg ofpthe planters, and there own crops
are often Improbable. and as by the cen.
trail system, which has become so develop.
cd they depend principally upon puGehas-
ed raw material, many have extended their
private uarrow guage roads into new dis.
triGtsy where cane has not been heretofore :
raised for a snnply, ,erytheyi areefed by stheiel
cane farmers In the virgin lands opened up