The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1899-04-28
Letter from Cuba.
CARDENAs, APRIL II, $50

MY DEAR PARKER -
| have visited sugar plantation anc
will try and give you some idea of it
This one consists of about 1000 acres anC
mill, on line of railroad with a side track
running to the mill. AS some may never
have seen cane growing will commence
with the planting of it. After the ground
has had an apology for being ploughed
the cane is planted. 1t grows from the
eyes in the stalk similar to the potato.
The custom is to make furrow a few
inches deep and putthe cane in it, cover
with dirt and await aitdevelopments. From
one eye will spring sometimes half doz-
en- sprouts, each of which will grow to be
stalk four to six feet high; sometimes
the smaller ones are cut and used for
planting. One crop grows each year and
each planting lasts from ten to fifteen
years, according to the fertility of the
soil. At the cutting time (Which is now
the stalks are cut close to the ground, the
leaves broken or stripped from the top end
and left in the field to rot or be burned by
prairie fires. The stalks. Cor cane), are
then carted to the mill. Farmers are get
ting 5000 per ton for their cane. l am
not able to say positive the average yield
per acre, but some fields produce twenty
tons per acre in a good season. 1t is un-
loaded at the mill onto a carrier and ele-
waited onto the rollers, which are cylinders
about eight feet long by two in diameter.
The cylinders revolve very slowly and
crush the cane, the Juice flowing into a
large vat. The cane falls onto carrier
and is taken to another set of rolls SINH
lar to the first, only set closer together.
Ths pulp feels dry as it leaves the last
rolls and is a mass of shreds. 1t now
falls onto another carrier which takes it
to the furnace that supplies the steam to
operate the entire plant. All this machin-
cry works automatically, and the cane
furnishes nearly all the fuel required and
burns very readily. The Juice is of a
muddy color with some froth. 1t is sweet
and palatable to drink. The Juice is
pumped to the boilers, which are copper
tubs about six feet in diameter by four
feet deep. In these it is boiled and skim
med. When of a proper density it is
drawn into iron watts holding about 1900
pounds. 1t Cools in these vats twenty
four hours. 1t is then ground in a tooth
ed mill like a large coffee grinder and
carried to the separator. The separator
is similar to the De Laval used in cream
cries, the bowl of which is perforated.
The centrifugal force sends the molasses
through the perforations and leaves the
sugar dry. I The sugar is then put into
bags and shipped to refineries. The mo-
lasses goes through a purifying process
and the dregs are made into vinegar. The
sugar is dark colored but very sweet, and
as there is no refinery near here we are
using it in this condition. 1t is worth at
the mill two and one-half cents per pound.
am told all above about one and one
half cents is profit, which goes to prove
the fact sugar mill is as good as mint.
1t seemed like home to see Fairbanks
scales all through the mill.
Banana farms are very common every
where here. The banana once planted
lasts life time. One old farmer told us
his crop this year would net him thirty
cents per bunch and he estimated his
crop to be IS, 900 punches. His field was
planted when he was young man and
about all he has done these years is to
harvest his crop. In his garden were
growing about every vegetable produced
in the north except the strawberry. |
have not seen any of those. A very COM
mon dish is preserved tomatoes, put up
pound for pound with sugar. Asparagus,
and lettuce are in season. Pine
apples are about half grown, and as they
require some shade are usually planted
between the rows of banana trees. Pine
apple is very pretty growing. 1t is del
icate pink color, and sits upon a stalk
about two feet from the ground. The
leaves of the plant are pink near the ap-
pie and green near the ends. All these
fruits require rich fertile soil, but open
stony land in growing hemp. The crop
starts from a seed thrown out by the tree
when it has ceased to be productive. Gu
ban hemp is very tough and makes a
good quality of rope. 1t looks like a |
large cactus and is shredded green by be-
ing passed through sets of rolls and dried |
in the sun. The rope factory is paying !
we'll now. All these products you will |
notice are very easy to raise and very |
long lived, and fire does not iniure them. |
There are several plantations near here |
whose owners have lost their all during |
The war, who must lose their farms un-
less they redeem them this year. 1t is a |
grand time for syndicates to get in and |
many are already here.
The laborer's working day is from six
70 nine a. m. and from ten a. m. to five
,. m. We are paying sixty-five cents
American money day. The banks and |
exchanges are reaping a good harvest.
About January Ist the president establish
ID the value Of Spanish money to be F.:
The Peso or dollar at sixty cents Ameri-
,an money, which made American money
worth $I,6o in silver. The exchanges
commenced buying and it is now worth
81 10, and scarce at that.
1 have some work to do on a prison at
'nlon q small tONUr in the ipteriOr Am
old valuable woods are there, and ma
logany railroad ties sell for twenty cents
zach surfaced and loaded on cars. There
will be great change in, this island in
couple of years and many will have made
fortunes by that time.
Very respectfully,