Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1917-11-10
island SUGAR
CROP FOR 1918
SHOWS DECREASE
Rx WLLIE1T & GRAY

! NEW lOIAh3' OCt" 80
supply Of cane and beet crops together
! for 1917-1S, we estimate at l6,SOO,50o
tons, against last year 16,o39,41S tons,
an increase of 270,722 tons. Included
! in these figures are 2,O00,00O tons OIL
beet controlled by Germany and Aus
tria for 1878, and 2,250,OOO tons for
1916-17.
Regarding Cuba we have our usual
good proportion of replies to the IN
quiries sent out by us and the replies
Regarding the cane paintings are some
what irregular, some factories even re-
porting less cane paintings than last
year, in direct contrast to the previous
crop, when practically every factory
reported an increase.
To estimate the present crop there
are many controlling circumstances
that have to be taken into considera-
ton; the high price and comparative
scarcity of labor; the dry weather in
4 the eastern half of the island, and the
| damage to property, fields and rail-
! roads in Oriente by the reVolutionists,
all of which had a deterrent effect on
the extent of paintings. In regard to
I the latter, a we'll informed correspon-
dent writes: "Our fields are in bad
condition compared with last year.
The cost of cleaning caballeria (only
one cleaning) has been $3.50 to $500,
while last year this work cost only
$1G0 to $3.50 The extra cost is due to
the burning of the cane, which leaves
the field in a very bad condition"
Last year there were quite a num-
Der of new factories started and all
these plants should show increases in
production this season. There are
comparatively few new factories to
work this campaign. AS new factories
rarely reach their estimated crops the
first year, this is a matter Of small i'm.
iportance.
| Taking all the above into considera-
ton in conjunction with the returns
from our inquiries, we estimate the
1918 Cuba crop at 100000 tons.
The following variations are shown
in the new estimates compared with
last seasons crops: Porto Rico $4,000
tons more. Hawaii about $4,000 tons
short, owing to drought although
weather recently has improved and
some of this may be made up. Among
the British West Indies, Jamaica
shows up well, production being stimu-
| lated by government supervision and
financiering. A $4,000 ton increase is
probable in San Domingo. Among
| tire South American countries some
good increases may be looked for,
notably in Brazil, with probably .75,-
900 tons more, Peru with $4,000 tons
and a good increase in Argentina, al
| though the latter crop is still far from
the large crops obtained a few years
ago, the long dry spell interfering with
termination of the cane Official ad-
vices from India give an increase in
sowingS of some 9 per cent which
/ should permit under TIE favorable con.
ditioDs an increase Of at least 100000
| tons in the outturn of sugar. The Java
crop which started harvesting in May,
1917 showed indications of reaching
i 100000 tons, an increase of about
100000 tons from the preceding crop,
but financial difficulties, lack of tom
mage to move the crop, etc, may have
an influence on this estimate, and the
full figure may not be obtained. Mode.
rate increases are looked for in For,
mosa and Japan, and some $4,000 tons
more will be produced in the Philip
| pine islands over last seasons short
yield. Australia will have the biggest
crop ever handled, the season having
been all that could be desired from a
harvesting point of view. In Mauri-
thus the government statistician con-
servatiVely estimates the crop at 224,-
600 tons, an increase of $4,000 tons,
! but some of our own correspondents
! look for larger figure.
! American Beet Crop
/ The acreage to be harvested shows
] a decrease Of some 10 per cent from
: our first estimate in July, or say 1872
463 acres, which is however, still a
considerable increase over last years
figure of 672,116 acres. Practically all
the states show some decrease in their
/ acreage, Colorado being practically
short, with an acreage now expected to
be harvested of 164,825, against pre-
Vious estimates Of 1871 1862 acres.
The weather has continued general.
ly favorable during the harvesting sea-
! son and despite the large decreases
shown In the acreage, we are reducing
our figure Of possible yield Of the
sugar production but slightly, as owing
to the satisfactory weather conditions
the sugar content and weight of the
roots have shown considerable i'm
proVement in a number of instances.
or course much depends upon the con-
d1tions from now on but if same con.
t1nue satisfactory we look for pro-
ductlon Of $4,000 tons Of sugar, being
"a reduction of about 10000 tons from
our previous estimate, against total
outturn in the 1862 campaign of
734,577 tons, and 1876 tons in 1915.
16.
/ The factories not. operating include
Marine City, Mich; Colo; Waverly
IOWA and Glendale, Ariz. Of the new