5lS THE PROGRESS OF THE NATAL SUGAR INDUSTRY. 



In the next 15 or 16 years much progress was effected in the 

 development of the industry. Among the ini^uences which fa- 

 voured its growth, railway extension deserves just mention. The 

 line to Maritzburg was begun in 1876. The completion of the 

 North Coast line to Verulam, in 1879, meant a great deal to the 

 planters in "victoria County. The stoppage of the South Coast 

 line at Isipingo was a handicap to producers in Alexandra and 

 Alfred counties. The introduction, in 1877-78, of the Natal 

 Central Sugar Company's factory at Mount Edgecombe, under 

 the supervision of Mr. Alfred Dumat. from Mauritius, and at 

 about the same time the arri\'al of a number of planters and 

 artisans from Mauritius, trained to factory work, did much to 

 foster improved methods, as this factory was equipped with a 

 type of machinery entirely new to Natal, which turned out u 

 product marketably as good in the one colony as in the other. 



A great fall in the market value of sugar took place all the 

 world over — in 1883-84 — and some thought its continuance would 

 mean a permanent blow to the Natal sugar industry, but although 

 the fall was considered established, producers ]Dut their shoulders 

 to the wheel of economy and improvement, and a buoyant feeling 

 as to the future prevailed. The labour difficulty cropped up 

 again in this period when railway construction was being pushed ; 

 and during the Zulu and Boer wars. 



In 1888 a strong feeling prevailed against Indian immigra- 

 tion ; the planters took the matter up and held a conference, and 

 proved by the recorded testimony of every important producer 

 that the importation of Indian labour had been and continued to 

 be the mainspring of the Colony's prodtictive power. 



Up to 1884 the varieties of cane chiefly in vogue were the 

 Green Natal, Lousier, and Port Mackay. At this date Uba was 

 first introduced into Natal by Mr. Daniel de Pass, of Reunion 

 Estate, about 10 miles from Durban, on the South Coast, and 

 proved so successful that it gradually sui)erseded all the other 

 varieties, and is to-day the cane generally in cultivation through- 

 out the industry. The introduction of the Uba cane, coming as 

 it did when disease was playing havoc with the varieties of canes 

 already mentioned. ])roved the salvation of the sugar industry. 

 This cane proves a success whenever planted in South Africa, 

 and the industry owes a debt of gratitude to the introducer of 

 Uba. It takes plant-cane two years, and first and second ratoons 

 18 months to mature, which means three crops from one planting 

 every five years. The yield per acre varies according to soil, 

 seasons, and care be.slowed, the average years being i4 tons sugar 

 per acre, but with l)etter improvements in the factories and culti- 

 vation, an increased yield is not uncommon on good lands of be- 

 tween two and three tons. .All estates having factories grow 

 their own cane, but there are many growers of cane who get 

 their cane crushed at convenient factories. 



In 1891-92 the aggregate crop was about 18,000 tons, about 

 one-third being white sugar, and the remainder vellows and 

 syru]) sugars. Most of the factories at this time had double 



