CRUZ DAS almas: a BRAZILIAj>r VILLAGE' — PIERSON 



87 



is first placed in the cement tank mentioned above, 

 covered with water and left 3 days to soak and 

 ferment. It is then dumped into a second parti- 

 tion of the tank, carefully washed and left to dry, 

 after which it is carried to a second set of stones 

 similar to those used to make fubd except that these 

 stones are set vertically, where it is ground into a 

 coarse flour. The latter is then taken to the forno 

 for toasting. 



The forno is a rectangular sheet of metal about 

 3 by 7 feet, under which is a brick firebox closed 

 on all sides except for a narrow opening in the 

 front through which fuel is inserted. The ground 

 cangica is spread thinly over this metal sheet and 

 the heat, which is maintained at a relatively con- 

 stant temperature, toasts the coarse flour until the 

 whole forms a large, thin, consistent flake, called 

 locally hiju. When sufficiently toasted, the flake 

 is broken up with a small roll of cloth and the 

 farinha de miJho removed and sacked. A high 

 degree of skill obviously is required in this process, 

 especially in controlling the heat and the time of 

 exposure to it, so as to toast the flour adequately 

 but not too much. Wood is used for fuel. The 

 capacity of this mill is from 10 to 12 sacks of 

 maize a day, each sack being of 60 kilos (132 

 pounds). 



The second installation of a similar character is 

 located on an adjoining farm, not over 600 yards 

 distant. It also is run by water power, the source 

 of the water being the same creek. The installa- 

 tions, however, are more recent, considerably 

 larger and more modern. There are no mos; in 

 their place is a modern machine. The water wheel 

 is of wood, about 13 feet in diameter and 20 inches 

 wide. The shelter is of brick covered with reboque 

 and stands about 20 feet high. The roof is of tile. 

 The interior is approximately three times that of 

 the first installation and is divided into two parts. 

 In one of these, which measures about 30 by 16 

 feet, is the forno for toasting farinha de inilho, 

 and in the other, which measures about 40 by 30 

 feet, are modern machines for grinding maize meal 

 and making and grinding cangica, as well as a 

 machine for shredding fodder for cattle feed. All 

 of the machinery is of national manufacture, ex- 

 cept that for shredding fodder, which was made 

 by a United States company. The farmer who runs 

 this mill set it up himself. The water wheel was 



843805 — 51 7 



purchased in a town about 30 miles to the south 

 of the community. 



At each of the mills, maize is ground and turned 

 into farinha de milho in exchange for the farelo 

 and quirera, plus Cr.$4.50 (about 24 cents) for 

 each 40 kilos (88 pounds) of maize. This quantity 

 produces about 20 kilos (44 pounds) of toasted 

 maize flour. To the maize available locally for 

 grinding are sometimes added quantities shipped 

 in from the neighboring State of Parana to the 

 closest point on the rail line and thence trucked to 

 the mills. The several products are also sold out- 

 side the community. 



SUGAR MAKING 



On an occasional farm which is still relatively 

 self-sufficient, sugar is made for home use and, at 

 times, for sale. On one such farm, cane is run 

 through a simple press turned by animal power 

 (pi. 15, a) and the juice {garapa) thus extracted 

 is carried in buckets and put in a large copper 

 kettle about 3 feet deep and 3 feet in diameter. 

 A fire is built underneath and the juice left to 

 boil for about 4 hours, or until the quantity is con- 

 siderably reduced and the liquid has become a 

 thin sirup. The impurities which rise to the sur- 

 face as the boiling proceeds are removed with a 

 metal skimmer which is about 8 inches wide and 

 has a long wooden handle. 



The sirup is then put in an iron drum and the 

 copper kettle refilled. When all the juice has been 

 boiled, the sirup is withdrawn from the drum and 

 carried to the tacJio, a large copper pan about 10 

 inches deep and 2 feet in diameter, where it is 

 again boiled, with constant stirring, until it is 

 about to crystallize into sugar. This process ordi- 

 narily takes approximately an hour. 



Before the mass cools, it is poured into a wooden 

 mold where it is left to solidify into paes de rapa- 

 dura or, literally, "loaves of brown sugar." This 

 mold consists of a flat box about 3 inches high and 

 open at the top. It is divided into small com- 

 partments whose size and number vary with the 

 size desired in the final product : Yi ^^o, y^ kilo, 

 or 1 kilo. 



The farmer says that approximately 200 kilos 

 (440 pounds) of rapadura are obtained from each 

 kettle of cane sirup. He also estimates that his 

 equipment, were it in continuous production, 

 would turn out around 1,000 kilos (2,200 pounds) 



