Year: 1870

"That Natal possesses the attributes Of succes-
full sugar growing country is proposition which,
we imagine only few gloomy minded individuals
will be inclined now to dispute. In the face of
every conceivable difficulty, sugar planting first
established local industry. In the face of vcis
situdes adverse enough to crush many another in
dustry, sugar planting has held its own has pushed
its way has asserted its position and is general
ly admitted to be au enterprise which under certain
conditions can be advantageously followed out.


OF late years the tendency of local enterprise in
this respect has been rather in favor of the working
of estates conducted on large scale by means of
adequate capital and TO this end companies of home
capitalists have in several instances been formed
That this line of action is sound one have no
reason to doubt but think that the principle of
cooperation might be applied TO industry well as
TO capital The establishment of central factories
has been found to succeed in the French colonies of
the West Indies. Instead of planter being his
own manufacturer, he gets his crushed and his
sugar made at a central mill Instead of a man hay
ing to spend capital in the purchase of machinery
well in the cultivation of the SOIL he is enabled
by this system to concentrate all his energies upon
the growth of the cane. We have often suggested
that this plan would suit Natal where the climate is
suited to European settlers, and where we hope TO



large European community located in flourish
ing condition The two operations of tage and
manufacture form together undertaking which
exceeds the capabilities of ordinary individual set
tiers Were they separated we might see sugar
planting extend itself 10 unforeseen limits, and we
might bring this industry within the reach of class
which is now debarred from pursuingit


1t has been often said in Natal that sugar planting
was not pursuit for men of small means, or for
countries devoid of colored labor. In Queensland
the converse of both these propositions is being
proved. There men of every grade of means
engaged in the cultivation of cane and the manufae
ture of sugar.


There is no reason that We know of why Natal
with her cheap land and cheap labor should not be
studded with plantations as small as those in vogue
in Queensland. There plantation of twenty acres
seems to be regarded a considerable undertaking,
and we are moved by this fact to suppose that the
amount of labor employed on such miniature es-
tates is confined TO that of the proprietor and one or
two white hands. One mill which is highly lauded
truly Queensland Institution, such "as we hope
to upon every plantation OF twenty acres"
made at a colonial foundry, and cost complete,
with battery of four pans, teache, cooler drainers,
she'd curing ghUuse, horse-walks, &C.. about 9420.
LUIS lillIO 10 " hOioc pOHSl, suu dl lull
work turns out en- excellent brown sugar at the rate
of four tons per week. There are twenty acres of
cane to crush on this estate, and the proprietor is
entirely selftaught. The yield from the cane which
is all Bourbon is about two and half tons per acre.
and the density 101E. None of the plantations men
toned in long list exceed twenty acres This is
matter worth enquiring into. We suspect that in
Queensland there are large alluvis bottoms, where
tno oft tha eon cor
of area Frost, however, is felt there badly ribbon
cane and also Bourbon suffering most. Otahete
is said to be affected Can this variety be
identical with our China cane? Probably it is su-
gar planting has evidently taken root in Queensland
despite its want of colored labor, and its lack of
experience writer speaks in glowing terms of
the hustle and life that is apparent ywhere-the
miles of luxuriant sugar cane. the magnificent ap-
plIances for sugar-makng aud for dstillng, and the
active industry, everywhere visible of men cutting
and planting cane, teams ploughing and drawing
loads of cane TO the MILL "in manner quite refresh
ing those long used to the hum drum existence
of Bowen"


This question of central factories and small plan
tations is exactly which such body as the
Chamber of Agriculture might advantageously con-
slider In connection with German or Chinese i'm
migrants it would be very applicable But why these
principles of action should succeed among English
settlers in Queensland and not here, we have yet to
learn.


We have at times suggested that the Wire Rope
Tramway system seemed well adapted to the cir
eumstances of our sugar estates. In this opinion
we now corroborated by practical planter-Mr
Bailey, of the Ifafa-who writes 10 that he is SO
convinced of the applicability of this system to
in Natal and of the n vVorEino
it will effect that he intends to order a mile or two
of it, We should be glad to sec the plan tried in
practical manner."-Sugdr Cane.