The Hawaiian gazette., 1915-07-16
PERUVIAN SUGAR
HAS GREAT FUTURE
Chance For American Capital and
Enterprise To DeveIope
Great Industry

Sugar cane is grown in all parts of
Peru, where the climate is warm, but
its center Of cultivation is in the COS st
region. This coast region is plain
l40O miles long Ly thirty to forty
miles wide and is formed by the ero-
sion OF the western base Of the An
dean plateau. Excepting in the ex-
IRENE north it is very dry, but it is
crossed by some SIXTY valleys of great
fertility. The rivers which water these
valleys bring down enormous quanti-
ties of water during the seasons Of
heavy rains and Of melting SHOWS, the
greatest number of them, however, dry
ing up during the rest of the year.
Much of the land is alkaline in char
acter. The cane land Is rich in lime,
phosPhoric acid, potash and nitrogen.
Hawaiian Cane Failed
Three native varieties Of cane are
grown, the white, green and purple.
Hawaiian and Demawara varieties in
troduced there have not proved any
improvement over the Peruvian canes.
Sucrose in the cane averages well up,
from - to l7.5 per cent, depending on
cultivation. Generally the cane has
fnueh fibre, low moisture content and
plenty of sugar. The juice is generally
good and pure and is easily manufac-
tured. TIL" sugars produced in Peru
are light rolored, rather coarse grain,
with high polarization and generally
Of easy crystalline ton.
Seasons are as Here
1t requires from siyteen to eighteen
and twcntv.fOur months to ripen the
cane. Yields up to ninety tons per
acre are not unusual. Some planta-
tions average SIXTY tons or more per
acre. The average yield for all Peru.
Wan plantations Is declared to be about
forty tons Of cane per acre.
There are number Of large p'an'a.
tions fully equipped with modern mi Is
grinding chiefly their own cane. A few
"cntrals derPnd on cane grown by in
dependent cultivators. The growers re-
ceive from thirty to fifty per cent of
the sugar in payment for their cane,
Continuous cutting and grinding are
practised on the big plantations
Gene Analysis High
The cane is remarkably free from
disease The worst pest is the moth.
bOrcr. Plaques of caterpil'ars some.
times destroy the fields, and the field
rat causes some injury
Carlos r. Paz, in his hook. "Peru To-
I dry - publishes the following analysis
Of Peruvian cane, stating that it repre-
s"nts about an average: Sugars, 1877;
fibre, 1900; water, 6602; density
Pcaume II 7; brix 2NS7; purity, SO So;
pure saccharine, 1871; glucose, O.45.
Modern Industry is Young
Sugar cane was first brought to Peru
, in 1870, and for p long time was
grown on very small sca'e The pres
rnt sugar industry dates back ONLY -
about 1880. The export production is
now well up towards 200.n00 tons,
mainly 90 degree raws. White sugar
i still being imnOrted to supply the in,
I, rival consumption.
Peru also produces 100000 gallons
of alcohol and enormous Quantities e
a crude and deadly cane rum know as
"rhancara. all of which is esnsurle
in the country
Ia 1910, 1897 labOrers were en-
rloycd on the plantations at an aver.
age daily wage of sixty cents gold
Ther" is one refinery in Peru which
in 1919 produced 22,525 tons of white
sugar.
Great THINGS Predicted
Perm, in the opinion of many sugar
men, is destined to become the great
est sugar producing country in the two
Americas. There is declared to be a
splendid field awaiting investors in
this industry. The conditions for in
definite extension of the industry are
ready for those who have knowledge Of
Su"ar production and sufficient caDital
The problem is that of impoundiny
sni'icir"t flood water for continuous
irritation during the dry season. In
reality the dry season, as far rs ell
matte conditions hold. is continuous,
n" so-called wet season berg the per
iod when the rivers are in flood from
the melting Andean Snow fields. Pc
ruNian soils are unusually rich, and
where water is available are extremely
fertile 1t is a land of abundant sun
shine and moderate temperatures and