Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1913-12-11
MEETING SUGAR CONDITIONS.

Editor HoncicIu Star-Bulletin,
Sir: II the sugar industry Of these
islands Is 70 be carried on. under
present conditions. there win need to
be great change In almost all OF
the various departments of the mills
and plantations.
In the first place the construction
work will have to be studied out as
never before: Tor none but those that
lave had long experience In planta-
lion work can form any idea OF the
large amount of money that has been.
lost on works of this kind. and which
might have been avoided II more con-
sideration had been given to the sub
ject, or more expert men had been
employed to calculate, figure out, and
do the work. Mistakes have been
made in locating and digging Of ditch
|! es and tunnels and In laying fldmes,.
and railroad tracks. also IN building
camps. and various other things.
In sugar mills also money has been
wasted through improperly designing
and erecting the machinery and In
the improper placing Of II In the mills
and in making costly changes that.
were absolutely unnecessary
More labor saving devices viii have
to be used IN both mills and on plans
tations and more attention given to
the waste products
More attention will have to be-
given to entertainment, combustion and
| the general efficiency Of the whole
plant.
More attention win have to be given
| to the sugar boiling. for it takes but
| a very little inattention to make a
false grain and to cause no end Of
trouble and waste of sugar. Very few
lhave any idea how much sugar may
be wasted by this cause alone
More attention will have to be CIV.
!! en- to the ripening of the sugar cane.
millions Of dollars have been lost
Through inattention to this subject
! The writer once saw large field
! of sugar cane cut in one Of our wet
districts that had never been stripped,
i and which polarized but 10 and the
loss was immense. But with the best
! Of are there Is always waste In the
beginning and at the end Of q crop,
because Il Is impossible to wait until
all OF the cane Is mature. For this
reason many OF the mills would make
more money II less cane were planted
lso that It coufd all be cut when It Is
Eripe or mature.
Many mills are cramped with q lack
lof. eyaporatihg capacity, and In conse-
Ianence the work Of Che milling is de-
f1ayed.
/ Fields that have such poor soil, that
lno amount of fertilizers can improve
them sufficiently to produce q good
tcrop win have to be cit out, ALSO
those that are so difflcult and costly
10 cultivate win have to be dropped.
New method of irrigation IS badly
needed that will prevent the waste Of
50 much water; also new methods
lcf cutting and loading cane
The agents viii have to be con.
tented with less commission and man.
ayers and others with less salaries
/ To pay manager 10000 to ST., 900 a
yetr while owners and stockholders
get nothing seems little peculiar to
say the least and calls for some at
: tention. In our last experience with
/, free sugar. some Of the managers cut
their own salaries as well as others
under them.
The wages Of the labcrers. will. 1t
is said, regulate itself, by the supply
and demand, but whether this will
work in time to save many pianta.
tions from ruin Is a question and Il
seems little unfortunate that ny
this method many plantations must
fan before enough laborers win BE-
liberated to give the survivors a
chance to get men at g. lower cost
i But # is said that much can be done
to help along by cutting out the con.
/ tract system. E
Very truly yours,
.sss, 1. q. x r