The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1899-10-28
Interesting Facts Concerning lis
Cultivation.
The METHODS Or MANUFACTURE
Sugar Nj Is Have Existed 10 Batavia
S.ree The d ming Of Jhs
SeSeE.es-th Ssaiury.
LBy II. c. Prinsen Geerliss. ]

IBy II. c. Prinssn Geerliss.I
The sugar industry. which ever fur
nishes one OF the chief products OF E.u-
ropean cultivation, IN Java j. OF com
paratiyely recent date Ever since the
beginning OF the seventeenth century
lew sugar mills existed in the yiCin-
ity OF Batavia, but their capacity was
so insignificant that they did not turn
out more than 5000 tons OF sugar even
in the most advantageous years. 1t
was not before 1880 that the Govern
ment, in virtue OF the so-called "cul-
tural system" strongly assisted the SUI
gar industry and granted loans free
from interest To any people willing to
start cane-sugar factory. The Gov
eminent had the canes planted and
carried TO the mil by the natives In
return for which the manufacturers
had TO deliver certain percentage OF
their sugar at fixed price The bal
ance between this price and the mar
ketabie value was distributed among
the native planters save certain COM
mission which the Government kept
for herself. This system has been
gradually abandoned and since 1890
the sugar industry is quite Independent
OF the Government
The sugar estates are exclusively to-
be found in the central and eastern
part OF the island. the climate of the
western part being too rainy for profit
able cane-growing- Planting and man
ufacturing are in the same hands. but
IN Java we do not find properly
speaking, sugar plantations. as the
land is owned by the natives in COM
mercial possession and Is rented from
them every year. OF course this meth
cd is rather expensive since the rent
amounts to about S. to so per acre per
annum, but the right in irrigation wa
ter is included in the price. and. more
over, this system of renting for one
year brings very useful rotation OF
crops with it AS a rule the planters
come back with cane in the same field
every third year and during the inter-
walls the natives plant rice. maise. corn.
indigo, etc. of which rotation the fol-
lowing scheme may give an idea:
April, 1S99-June, 1899. digging
trenches, land lying fallow
June, 1SS9-AugUst or September.
1900. cane.
August, 19o0-October. 1900. maise
for fodder.
October, 1900-March, 1901. rice.
April, 1901-October, 1901. maise.
beans, indigo.
October. 1901-March. 1902. rice.
April, INCORPORATING for cane
again.
Apart from this rotation OF crops
being very valuable for growing canes.
the irrigation required for the two con-
secutive rice crops brings huge quaint
ties of fertile volcanic ashes and silt
on the land and thus improves its
quality.
N 4. ~ az. t,lan ,..t,.
is grown We distinguish two very dis
tinctly marked seasons. each lasting
six months, viz, the dry season be-
tween the 18th OF April and the 18th of
October, and the rainy season during
the other six months.
All planting and grinding operations
have TO take place in the dry season.
as during the other time outdoor work
is hardly possible, whilst the roads are
impracticable and would not allow any
transport OF canes.
AS soon as the rice crop has been
harvested the sugar planters start
working the land, digging trenches
around and through the fields for
drainage, and ploushing them in those
parts Of the island where the clay Is
not too heavy. Next the drills are
made in the fields, ordinarily they are
dug at a distance between the centers
of feet, "a or 80 feet long. l foot deep
and l. to IS inches wide. The land is
, allowed to lie fallow in this state for
six to eight weeks. exposed TO the ac-
ton OF the weather and sunshine.
which viii decompose the particles OF
volcanic ash and cause them to- give up
the fertiiiz!nS constituents they con-
tain. Fortunately We have not to fear
an overrunl:nG OF the land with nox-
ious grasses and weeds which in many
other countries would neutralize the
effect OF this following.
In proper time the cane-tops are
planted IL the drills, covered with a
little earth and then the field is irri-
gated, which Is repeated every fourth
or sixth day until the canes have
reached a certain length. Occasionally
the fields are weeded and the canes
trashed and banked. causing them to
stand on rather high banks or ridges
Zone FOOT, when the rainy season sets
in, allowing the rain TO flow of. To-
gether with the banking the canes are
MANFRED with heterogeneous manure on
", sucn'as oilcakes, sulphate OF ammo
mia. bats dung. dried blood. etc. Min
eral manuTes. potash. lime or phos-
phoric acid are not used. The expert
SN&NAtAS FApNtN AtFNoNtAAf
that the Java soil contains every year
| fresh volcanic silt, a rich source of all
mineral fertilizers for the sugar cane,
After the last banking in December or
! in January the canes are left to- grow
for themselves, save slight traShing
now and then.
! The grinding season sets in In May
and June and lasts as long as tve OF
/ six months. The canes are dug out and
! carried TO the mills in bullock or buff
| falo carts or portable railways and are
| crushed as soon Is possible after their
| arrival. As q rule the sugar mills are
very well equipped with every modern
machinery and the utmost care IS tn
ken TO work up the Juice as rapidly as
possible. Every mill Is provided with
n steam plant. Most factories burn
! their baszsss in great bagasse fur
/ naces. which are constructed so eco