13 



make repairs quickly by having duplicate parts of such machinery as are 

 liable to break. There is no manufacture which depends more for its 

 success on the proper working of the machinery than the sugar industry. 



COST OF WORKING. 



The success of this industry does not depend altogether on how much 

 sugar can be produced per ton of cane, but the cost of this production 

 must also be considered. 



The success of the work during the past season has been largely due 

 to the simplicity and cheapness of the processes employed. For the 

 actual cost of production and other data of the utmost interest to those 

 who contemplate engaging in this industry, I can not do better than 

 refer them to the report of W. L. Parkinson to the board of directors 

 of the Parkinson Sugar Company, which I have the permission to em- 

 body in this report. 1 



There is no doubt but that $2 per ton for working cane are sufficient 

 to cover all legitimate expenses connected with the manufacture. 



UTILIZATION OF THE EXHAUST CHIPS. 



It will soon become a matter of necessity to dispose in some way of 

 the exhausted chips from the battery. 



The great amount of this material accumulating about the factory 

 makes it imperative that they be utilized in some way. Three methods 

 of disposition have been suggested : (1) To return them to the land as 

 a fertilizer 5 (2) to use them for fuel; (3) to manufacture into paper 

 pulp. One of the last two methods will no doubt be adopted. Some 

 experiments in using for fuel were made during the season. A large 

 portion of the water was pressed out by passing the chips through a 3- 

 foot cane-crusher. The chips dropped from the last roll into a hopper, 

 from which they were taken up by a suction-fan and blown over to the 

 boiler-house. This method of handling the chips has many features to 

 recommend it. It is very simple, and, besides, the chips are dried some- 

 what by being subjected to the strong current of air. No doubt the 

 making of paper pulp from the chips will become the most profitable 

 disposition to make of them. Tne cane after being reduced to fine chips 

 and thoroughly washed in the diffusion battery is certainly in an ex- 

 cellent condition for this work. No attempts have been made, as far as 

 I know, to make paper pulp on a large scale from this source, but very 

 fine samples of pure white pulp have been made in a small way. This 

 matter is certainly deserving of thorough investigation. 



NEEDS OF THE INDUSTRY. 



One of the greatest difficulties which will be encountered by those 

 engaged in developing this industry will be the scarcity of men capable 

 of operating factories. This will be the most serious hinderance to rapid 

 1 See Cowgill's Report, p. iJi.) 



