The Richmond palladium. (Richmond, Ind.) 1906-1907, 1906-09-30

matter of fact, one-ffth on average of
the land occupied by plantation is
actually devoted TO raising cane. con-
food crops for the consumption of the
several thousand laberers and their fami-
lies which are attached to each large
plantation or mill. Then again there are
a number of buildings. a certain amount
of timber and grass and other disposf-
lions Of the acreage. In the early days
of the industry each farmer ground his
own cane and carried the product to the
nearest mart behind a pair of oxen. This
system, of course. entailed a series of
wastes from the planting to the consump-
ton, and the finished article was of a
very poor grade. These in separate and
independent farms were succeeded by the
more economical '.coionias" or aggrega-
lions of small plantations, which, while
they cultivate independently, combine In
transporting the output to central or
properly equipped mill.
Whilst "colonias" are. to be found at
present all over the country-and. In fact,
include 90 per cent. of the total number
of plantations-the process of evolution
naturally brought into existence the large
and complete plantation furnished with the
buildings and mechanical plant necessary
for the entire operations of growing and
grinding the cane and manufa cturing mo-
lasses. Such plantations called Sin
genios." There are probably 200 of
these in operation. occupying from 10000
to 10000 more acres. They represent
invested capital of ut least 500. 000. 900.
of which one-t third is American money,
and considerably more than one-half for
eign. A large number OF these plantations
ALL
lish, and several of them two millions.
The machinery of mill with capacity
of 1000 bags a day will cost 5000 900,
and includes improved furnaces, CHARTERS.
grinding apparatus, defibrators, defeca-
tors, vacuum pans, centrifugal separa tors:
and. in short, every description of modern
sugar machinery and all such labor-sav-
ing devices as can be applied to the
manufacture. The various auxiliary
buildings will involve outlay Of $780,
600 or $500. OO0 There Is, of course, the
cost of land, which will vary. and then-a
very heavy item-the field trackage.
Each large plantation has its own rail-
road, operated by steam locomotives and
equipped with a large number OF cars.
The individual mileage will run from Is
to 30 miles, and there is aggregate of
something like a thousand miles of such
track In the Island. The plantation rail-
road Is employed to bring the cane from
the field to the min and to carry the
sugar or molasses from the mill to the
nearest trunk line. Before long further
economies will be effected In the matter
of transportation. Among other plans
looking to this end are suggestions for
the employment of electric alcohol
motors in place of steam engines. Alco-
hoi, being a by-product of the sugar cane.
would appear to be a convenient and
cheap agent for the generation OF motive
power.
The productive acreage is somewhat
less than 1t was 10 years ago. Most OF
the sugar we receive from Cuba Is de-
rived from the old plantations. which
have in many cases been renovated and
refurnished. The effect of the new mills
upon ~the output will be markedly felt In
about a years time, and from thence on
a constant increase In the yield may be
expected. New ingenios are In process of
formation all along the line OF the Cuba
Railroad. The most ambitious project of
this sort, for which a syndicate of
American capitalists Is responsible, Is