IMPKOVEMENT OP EXISTING MILLS. 



The evolution of sugar mills. — The history of the sugar industry tends 

 to show that it has gone through a gradual evolution to its present status. 

 With the possible exception of Formosa, there has been no radical change 

 directly from the small plantation mill to the large modern factory. 

 Even in those countries like Cuba and Porto Rico there are still a 

 great many small mills that are entirely out of date as compared with 

 the most modern factories of those countries. In the Hawaiian Islands 

 the excellent system and equipment for the manufacture of sugar has 

 been developed from the small wooden mill made by the missionary, 

 through the Chinese mills with their two stone rollers, the small three- 

 roller mills propelled by animal power, the three-roller plantation mills 

 like those of the Philippines, all of which have finally been displaced by 

 modern mills of all descriptions up to eighteen-roller combinations. 



The manufacturing equipment in the Philippines was as good as that 

 in any similar country at the time it was installed, but circumstances 

 which have been briefly explained, stopped the development in this 

 direction more than fifteen years ago. Since then the manufacturing 

 equipment here has been entirely outclassed by the more modern mills 

 like those of Java, Hawaii and Formosa. 



Present tendencies. — There are a great many owners of plantations 

 here with one or more mills Avho are willing to enter into an arrangement 

 by which their land will become a part of the territory that will supply 

 cane to a central mill, and thereby dispense with the necessity for operat- 

 ing small mills now on such land. There are others who prefer to 

 improve their mills and continue in complete control of the property and 

 its operation. There are also a large number of Philippine sugar 

 planters who are content with their present methods and equipment so 

 long as profits can be made by their use without change. However, the 

 time is not far distant when all of the sugar growers here will realize 

 that the greatest opportunity for profit will be brought about only when 

 radical improvements are made in the present milling plants, or they 

 are abandoned entirely in favor of the modern central. 



Proposed improvements. — The writer desires to offer a few suggestions 

 with reference to the improvement of existing mills so as to fit them for 

 turning out a standard grade of sugar, which would result in greatly 

 increased profits. The smaller mill owners could then combine these 

 profits to provide the capital for the establishment of improved central 

 mills. 



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