The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1899-07-28
Sugar Making According to Me-
thOdS OF COrtHZ'S Time.
What Prof. Holmes Saw on HIS
Recent Expedition - a Ma
tional Industry.

turned from an expedition into Mexico \
for the purpose OF examining some 1f /
the ancient historical ruins OF that I
country. During his travels. Professor
Holmes observed other things than ar
cient ruins. and the following desCrip- /
ton of the sugar industry in modern /
Mexico. which he gave a representa- |
tive of The Washington Star. will b.
found unusually interesting:
We stopped At Ceurnavaca for III, |
night, and were entertained by the adj !
ministrator, who kindly gave as an OPP J
portunity TO witness the transforma- !
ton of sugar cane into loaf sugar.
The methods OF sugar making are
but little altered since the time of Cor
tez, though this is fast changing-this
mill in particular having already plac-
ed en- order for modern machinery. and
modern methods will soon prevail.
THE SUGAR-MAKING INDUSTRY.
Sugar making is the great industry
of this countryside cane grows wild in
profusion, yielding two crops in fifteen
months, without replanting-one plant
ing lasting from ten to- thirty years.
with little or no care. The stalks
grow 50 luxuriantly and cast such a
dense shade that weeds will not spring
among the canes. hence the Mexican
finds his means of support ready ut
hand. The sugar industry predates the
coming of CorteZ.
THE sugar mill of Tamisco runs
night and day, employing about 400
men the year round, the continuous
crops of cane furnishing constant ma
terial for work. The oxen. drawing
carts loaded with sugar cane. and
driven by Indians in picturesque gar
ments of white cotton. were every
where in evidence.
The hacienda is inclosed in 4 stone
wall some ten feet high. opening
through a massive and handsomely de-
corated gateway. The mill itself COM
prises a number OF buildings and sheds
built about an open court, upon which
the buildings open, and in which most
of the work is done. Close beside the
mill, on the slope above. is the viii
lage, consisting of stone houses or
huts, mostly with matched roofs, built
about a primitive little chapel. The
hacienda is a complete town, sufficient
unto itself. in itself; raising it's own
cane, furnishing its own fuel, having
church, stores and people; even max
ing its own pottery within its gates;
exporting sugar, molasses and rum.
HOW SUGAR IS MADE.
The cane is crushed between three
large cylinderS-the remaining cane
pulp being carted out to dry, and after
ward used as fuel, while the resulting
| sap is run off into huge copper watts.
connected by an intricate system of
tubes, and boiled. After boiling the
syrup is run into conical earthenware
vessels, having perforations in the bot
tom or pointed end, which are stopped
with husks mat are removed when the
sugar has cryStalliZed, permitting :he
remaining syrup to escape. These
conical vessels stand in small basins
! by the hundreds about the floor and
men go continually from vessel to yes
sci, stirring the contents. as the syrup
tends TO crystalline in 4 crust on top,
until the process is complete. The YES
sells are then carried to the roof OF
nearby building and the resulting
cone deposited To dry in the sun-a col
! lection of small mountains OF sweet
ness not altogether enticing to one who
has seen the Indians handle it. though
the swarms of bees hat haunt It find
| it none the less sweet.
There is much coming and going OF
picturesque figures, song and laughter
about the mill. but l found the boiling
room most interesting; the furnaces;
the huge copper watts and boiling
syrup: the figures fitting TO and fro
| stirring the syrup in the couical pots;
men carrying great cones of the coarse
sugar sometimes weighing a hundred
pounds, on their backs: the arrival
and departure OF the OK carts in the
sunlit court outside, made n scene Of
great animation.
THE LABORERS.
In most of the mills and distilleries
small shrines are placed against the
wall in some quiet corner, and between
the shifts of night and day laborers
short song services are held. for this
is Spanish Catholic country, and al
religious observances are encouraged
by the authorities.
AT Tamisco they sang in the boiler
room at vespers a rude service, ac-
companied by some stringed instru-
ment played by boys in the balcony