Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1912-09-07
SUGAR INDUSTRY
OF GUADELO UPE

UI. GUADELOUFaE
Guadeloupe derives its wealth from
its sugar industry, says the Daily Con-
sular and Trades Report. The cob
ony's imports ins any given year can
be estimated almost exactly by thu
exports of sugar and its products. A
history of the sugar industry would
be an economic history Of the islands
for the past century
Il 1t is known that the manufacture OF
sugar in Guadeloape began prior to
1850. BALLET, a colonial writer. in his
history of the colony says that In the
first 5yolAule of the Marine Archives
of sREance. under date Of March q,
l6A4, there is recorded an order aud
instructions to q messenger going TO
Gpadeloupe for making sugar BY the
/ lords of the isles of America. The
first sugar mills were built between
J 1850 and 1900; there were sol mills
!, In 1880 and i622 in 1862. Most OF
these We're operated by wind power;
i some, however, were run by water,
large OseFshOt wheels being used.
The building Of modern centfals be-
gan in 1863, and there are at present
!, II In operation. Their equipment is
lbeing brought up to date. hut this
!, process has been slow. owing to small
earnings and q tariff which practi-
/ cally coimpels all purchases to be OF
French origin
In addition to owning the centrals.
these epmnanies have, surrounding or
in the immediate Micinity of their
.mills, lands 0ffyarying acreage (which
are plaRted TO sugar ,cane. There are
also in abe neishborhaod numerous
small planters cuItivating limited
areas, who sell their canesto the cen
ltrRls. .r -
Early In theaseason. before cutting
begins, the owners OF the ,centrals
agree upon q price to be paid the
ismall planters for cane delivered at
thesmills This was so per ton IN
/ 1910 and s2.fS in a911. The price
agreed upon Is published In thenews-
ipapers and. also posted in the vicin-
/ ity of the central II IL Is not salts
ifaotOry to the small planters. q con-
ference is held and an attempt made
to adjust 1t to suit all parties. The
/ cutting and grinding of the cane begin
leRrly in January and continue through
out season of eight months, al
Through the greater part is finished by
the 1st Of July. The cane from the
small planters Is taken first, the cen-
trials keeping their own crop for emer-
/ gency cutting an1 grinding in the
event.of supplies from the small plant
ers being held back or delayed for q
flew days. iTofmanys Of these the oen-
trials rent land and radvance mOuey
Elupont their crops, borrowing for this
and .0ther purposes ffomothe Banque
de- L. GuadeleHpe, semigoveHnmental
institution, the centrals being given
!, preference over all other Borrowers :
The use of fertilizers has not been
general. but during the last few years
the .centrals, In order to compete with
beet sugar in the markets Of the
9stsorld, have been obliged to begin this
bpfactise, and their example is being
slowly followed by the more prosper
sosls of the small planters
here are numerous plantations OF
rdiffeFent AcreageS, particularly on the
island Of 1Guadeloupe proper, which
are too distant from the centrals to
haul cane to them. The cane raised
on these plantations is ground IN small
mills and the Juice, instead of being
converted into sugar, is run into large
ltvats and allowed to ferment: at the
right stage, mixed with certain ingre-
dients, 1t issdistilled into quality OF
iTum known as shabitant% This rum,
very pure and of high proof, Is re-
duced by water to so per cent of al
scohol; some. of 1t is exported, bur
most of 1t, is sold In the colony, where
1t lis the ordinary drink Of the people.
Iiffie best class of planters, for their
Town consumption, reduce the rum
with less water and put IL in barrels
that have been used for Madeira wins
/, and allow it to age in wood After
isuch treatment for term of five TO
forty years 1t becomes fine liqueur
: and is excellent. sEhis Hqueur does
not seem to be known in the United
States. 1t is estimated that each ton
i of cane crushed will produce Is gal
Ions of gum of so per cent.
| Labor 10 Scarce.
BRADSTREET,S, August IA lit
i tie while ago we told of the paucity
l-of help in, such producing lines as
/ coke, iron and steel. textiles. and of
course on the farms also. But now
comes another Industry, lumber cut
i4ting and mill working, with q similar
/ plaint.s The lumber trade papers in
i -. + - H.