Transpor- Each plantation has its system of railways leading to per- 



tation manent loading stations. Cane is conveyed from these stations 



System ^ Q ^ e S11 g ar factory in modern cane cars, usually built of steel 



and having a capacity of from twenty to twenty-five tons. The modern 

 and most generally accepted type of cane car is arranged with sides to swing 

 out, being hinged at the top and held at the bottom or platform of the car by 

 special clips which are easily released, from the end of the car, When the cane 

 is delivered to the weighing stations at the factory, the actual manufacturing 

 of raw sugar begins. 



Agricultural Systems in Cuba 



The cane crops of Cuba are grown under two distinct systems of agri- 

 culture: (1) the administration system; (2) the colono system. Under the 

 administration system, the planting, cultivation, and harvesting is carried on 

 by the sugar company directly. Only a small part of the Cuban crop is ad- 

 ministration cane, but in Hawaii, practically all of the cane is grown under 

 this system. It has some advantage in making possible the best develop- 

 ment of scientific and highly specialized cane culture, where such intensive 

 agriculture is necessary. 



Under the colono system the cane is planted, cultivated and 

 Colono J . 



Cane harvested by independent tarmers, known as colonos. It is 



said that about 80% of the sugar crop of Cuba is made from 

 colono cane. This system has been aptly described in a government study 

 entitled "The Cane Sugar Industry" as follows: 



"There are several kinds or types of colonos. The independent colono 

 grows cane on his own land. Others grow cane on the company lands, the 

 use of which is given to them without any rental charge or for a nominal sum. 

 Still other colonos grow cane on lands leased to them by third parties. Colo- 

 nos may finance their own planting, in part or entirely, or they may secure 

 advances of money from the company or from third parties. The method of 

 paying for cane from colonos almost universally used in Cuba is to give the 

 colono either a certain percentage of sugar on the weight of the cane deliv- 

 ered or its money equivalent. Usually liquidation is made twice monthly 

 at the average price of sugar in Habana or other port for the current period. 

 From 4J^ to 7% tons of sugar, or its money equivalent, are paid to the colono 

 for every 100 tons of cane he delivers. In the more fertile or virgin soils in 

 the Provinces of Oriente and Camaguey, where less cultivation and prac- 

 tically no fertilizing are necessary, the prices range from 4J/ to Sf/2 tons of 

 sugar per 100 tons of cane, while it reaches the maximum of 7J/ and in some 

 cases 8 tons of sugar per 100 tons of cane on the older sugar lands in the 



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