Vol. XV. No. 367. 



THE AGRICULTUKAL NEWS. 



16.3 



Two factors appear to have an important bearing 

 on this aspect of the question. Where transportation is 

 difficult, there will be a tendency to limit the size of 

 the factory: where large areas are easily tapped, there 

 w-ill be a disposition to put up large factories. The 

 other factor, which is only just beginning to be appre- 

 ciated, is the kind of plant to be used, as affected by the 

 character of the cane to be handled. Where the canes 

 to be dealt with contain but little fibre, it is possible 

 to deal efficiently with them in comparatively small 

 and simple mills: but where the canes contain large 

 quantities of fibre, as do those in Antigua, it is found 

 requisite to employ heav\- multiple mills and heavy 

 maceration in order to extract the sugar from the cane 

 effectively. 



In the early stages of central factory discus- 

 sions attention was largely centred upon the type 

 of sugar to be made, and the vacvium pan was the 

 apparatus largely thought of Experience has shown 

 that the mills are the dominant factor. In the early 

 stages of factory development a set of mills having three 

 rollers was deemed sufficient, and efforts were directed 

 to making this apj)liance as strong as possible: it soon 

 began to be seen, however, that efficient work was only 

 to be done by submitting the cane to repeated crushings: 

 developments, therefore, took place along the line of 

 nmltiplying the number of rollers in the train of mills, 

 and of spraying water upon luegass in its passage 

 through them. 



contracting to supply canes is large or small, it 

 stands in the same relation to the factor}-. This- 

 will have the effect of preserving the smaller estate 

 owner, and gives full scope for the development of 

 a resident proprietary body possessed of estates of 

 moderate size, which can be worked to advantage by 

 the resident owner himself. 



Under the system obtaining in Barbados the 

 owner of the factory feels hampered by the uncertainty 

 of the cane supply, and in order to make it safer will 

 be inclined to increase the area of production over 

 which be has control: consequently he will be disposed 

 to acquire such adjacent properties as may come with- 

 in his reach, and the natural outcome of the systern 

 will be the development of large estates by the assimi- 

 lation of the smaller ones. This process may be slow, 

 but it is likely to be steady and certain in its operation 

 for, under this system, there will be no motive for again 

 dividing into small areas of production. So we have 

 the anomaly of the conservative small estate owner, 

 anxious to preserve his independence of action and to 

 that end declining to bind himself by contracts to 

 supply canes to a factory, defeating his own object by 

 creating a position which has, as a natural tendency, 

 his absorption into a larger scheme. 



No opinion is expressed as to the ultimate effect 

 on the community of either line of development.. 

 Doubtless each will be found to possess advantages. 



Few factoiies, even amongst the small ones in Bar- 

 bados, are now worked with three-roller mills, and even 

 where they still exist steps are being taken to replace 

 them with mills having six or more rollers, as soon as 

 possible. The factories referred to in Antigua and St. 

 Kitts each have trains of mills containing fourteen 

 rollers. 



Another feature is worth commenting on. In the 

 system which has found acceptance in Antigua and St. 

 Kitts, the factories are disconnected from the work of 

 cane growing and obtain their supplies of canes entire- 

 ly from growers who sell to the factory. In Barbados, 

 on the other hand, the factories are operated by owners 

 who are cane growers, and who only buy a portion of 

 their cane supply from outside growers. 



One effect of the system obtaining in Antigua and 

 St. Kitts is that the integrity of the estates is pre- 

 served: there is no tendency on the part of the factory 

 to absorb them. It is immaterial whether an estate 



A copy has just been received of the Royal Colonial 

 Institute Year-book for 1915. In addition to the information 

 embodied in the edition for 1914 it contains stati.stical 

 information regarding all parts of the Empire, as well as a 

 classified list of the newspapers and magazines which are to 

 be seen in the Institute Building. The list of fellows grew 

 considerably during 191. J. Next year it ie expected that 

 there will be a record increase as a result of the active 

 measures the Institute is now taking to achieve full 

 representation of all the Colonies and Dominions. The 

 fellows of the Royal Colonial Institute may in the future 

 form the basis of a constituency for the election of an 

 Imperial Parliament. 



Visits have been made recently by the Curator at 

 Tortola to out-districts, and meetings have been held. These 

 have been principally in connexion with the development of 

 the onion industry. As regards the weather experienced 

 it is stated that during .lanuary and the first part of 

 February, the weather was showery, but since then, the pre- 

 vailing conditions have been drj-. 



