Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-03-23
UNCLE SAM IN THE, CARIBBEAN--VII
EREDI
BY FREDERIC J. IIASKiN.

CHARLOTTE AMALIE. ST. THOMAS.
ID. w. l., March l3.-It Is u saving
that st. Thomas Is famous for It's bay.
Its rum and it's bay rum. AS a matter
or fact, st. Thomas produces neither
bay nor rum. but merely combines them
into bay rum. st. Croi& produces the
rum and st. John the bay leaves: but
10 the manufacturers of ST Thomas
belongs the glory OF making the best
bay rum I'm the world from this little
iSiahd goes forth fragrance to tickle
the nostrils OF three continents.
This making of bay rum is tho most
distinctive Industry of tho Danish
west Indies. and together with 81.
CroiN rum and sugar, and Il few cattle
hides. II makes up practically the en-
tire export trade. 1t - said that
nearly all or the finished bay rum goes
to Denmark. although Il good deal OF
the bay oil Is shipped 20 other parts OF
Europe and to America To be manu-
featured into so-called bay rum, most
or winch bears scant resemblance to
tho true West Indian product Here
YOU can buy the very best quality for
about % cents quart, and after using
1t literally during his stay almost
every visitor is seen to depart with n
full case. which viii usually get by
tho customs inspector II 1t is declared
for personal use.
Tho basis OF bay rum il the ,caf If
the swcc; bay tree. which is rare
and carricious plant. II grows album
dainty on certain parts of tho Island of
50. John. though on other parts where
conditions seem exactly the Same II
Will not thrive. ST. John has n rich
soil. but is very mountainous In the
days OF hand cultivation and slzvcrv
1t was covered with sugar cane, and
coffee and tobacco to the very crcsts
or It's mountains, but with tho in
creased cost or labor and The use Of
IL LIT.
Improbable. and tho island practically
reverted 10 wild state. The bag
groves are merely 4 part OF the nat
ural forest: they arc not tended. md
tho birds and the wind arc trusted to
plant tho seed.
Usually once year the leaves are
gathered by women and children. The
children climb tho trees and break off
small twigs bearing ton or dozen
leaves. which they throw down to tho
women, who pack them In bags
Weighing sixty TO seventy pounds
when full. Tho breaking or OF the
twigs does no, seem to !nture the
trees. but rather to stimulate the
growth OF new leaves
Reduced TO nny Rum.
Most OF tho leaves are distilled in
crude d.s,illcrics on the Inland, tho re-
sultant product being the bay oil OF
commerce. This is again distilled with
rum or alcohol and water TO make the
finished bay rum; $50 or more quarts
Of bag ram arc made from single
quart OF tho oil. which Is worth 81. 4
bay rum OF superior strength and frag-
rance IL made hy dis,illinG tho leaves
IN alcohol without FIRST extracting the
oil. There is one plantation on 81.
John which VIII make hay rum for YOU
h. this direct distillation process for
20 cents gallon IL YOU Will furnish
tho alcohol and the containers.
About tho only real cultivation upon
st. Thomas ia that OF n few limo trees
Concentrated lime juice Is made from
part Of tho product. and par; OF
u IS converted into "picllcd lines"
by soaking tho fruit IN sca-wa,cr for
certain length OF time. There arc
also number OF cattle on tho island.
ana parts Of IL arc cleared and planted
IN guinea grass for their benefit. There
is only one resident white man on the
island and less than 100 persons in all.