30 



THE CUBA REVIEW 



THE SUGAR INDUSTRY 



BLOW-OFF VALVE REQUIREMENTS 



There is no valve in any factory, espe- 

 cially in any sugar factory, that receives 

 less attention than the blow valves on the 

 boilers. They are generally located in an 

 out of the way place and are connected up 

 to an underground pipe which delivers into 

 a well or sewer, or some other connection, 

 where it is impossible to find out whether 

 or not they leak ; and consequently they 

 become a source of loss which is not un- 

 derstood until the consumption of fuel so 

 increases that an investigation is made, 

 when it is often found that a stream of 

 water from Vi inch to 1 inch in diameter 

 is flowing out of the blow-off. This water 

 has not only been heated to a high tem- 

 perature, but also has very often given up 

 its impurities and is clear and should be 

 held in the boiler. 



A blow-off valve to meet all the require- 

 ments of a good one should first be strong 

 enough to withstand all shocks which are 

 caused by the opening and closing of the 

 valve suddenly. It should be so built that 

 it remains absolutely tight after the scoring 

 effect of the scale and impurities which are 

 driven through it at high velocity when the 

 boiler is blown. The seats and discs should 

 be so constructed that they can be renewed 

 easily and at a low cost without disconnect- 

 ing the valve from the boiler. The valve 

 should also be easy to operate, so that when 

 it is opened and closed there will be no 

 jerky effect which is liable to cause water- 

 hammer and loosen the blow-off pipes in 

 the boilers. It also should be so con- 

 structed that in case it is neglected and 

 the blow pipe becomes filled up it is an 

 easy matter to clean it out. 



All these conditions are met by the 

 Lytton Blow-off Valve. This valve is built 

 to stand 250 lbs. pressure. The seat and 

 disc are removable and can be faced off. 

 It has a regrinding effect every time it is 

 opened, and when blowing the face of the 

 seat and disc are protected. It is also so 

 easy to operate that a 2 M; -inch valve under 

 125 lbs- pressure can be moved with a 

 wrench 12 inches long. The seats, discs 

 and stems are so constructed that they can 

 be taken out without any trouble, even if 

 the valve is plugged full of mud. 



1912 AND 1913 SUGAR CROP 



This season's output is the largest in the 

 history of Cuba, considerably exceeding 

 that of the previous high record year, 1910, 

 which had a total output of 1,817,544 tons. 



Planters are very optimistic as to the 

 outlook for the crop of 1913, and while 

 reports from the north coast, from Sagua 



la Grande eastward, complain of the lack 

 of rain, the new plantings on the whole 

 are in excellent condition even in that 

 district. Generally speaking, however, the 

 rainfall has been abundant over the whole 

 sugar area of Cuba. When it is considered 

 that many mills in the eastern end of the 

 island, and to some extent in other parts 

 of the island, were unable to grind all their 

 cane on acount of the early rains, thereby 

 being compelled to leave it uncut, and also 

 that large new cane areas have been 

 planted, it is reasonable to make the pre- 

 diction that if no undue weather conditions 

 are experienced the output of 1913 will be 

 even larger than that of the present year. 

 At this time, August 13th, it is, of course, 

 too early to even estimate what that output 

 will be. — United States Deputy General 

 Henry P. Starrett. 



SOME SUGAR OUTPUT FIGURES 



The total production for 1911-12 of the 

 sugar mills exporting through Cienfuegos 

 was as follows. The figures are those of 

 Sr. J. A. Bosque. 



Centrals Output in bags 



Hormiguero 110,000 



Soledad 85,491 



Santa Maria 56,095 



Santa Catalina 56,402 



Carolina 16,916 



Reglita 6,400 



Portugalete 92,260 



Constancia 118,019 



Santa Rosa 88,552 



San Francisco 60,573 



Cieneguita 92,865 



Manuelita 85,989 



Maria Victoria 66,287 



Pastora 48,770 



Perseverancia 121,587 



Santisima Trinidad 23,223 



Lequeitio 108,230 



Caracas 160,144 



Andreita 118,500 



San Agustin 85,000 



Dos Hermanas 70,299 



Parque Alto 73,587 



San Lino 57,395 



Juragua 67,955 



Dos Hermanos 45,424 



Mapos 16,160 



San Cristobal 18,110 



Carmita 4,417 



Total 1,954,650 



— La Lucha. 



Central "Santa Ava" in Oriente has fin- 

 ished grinding. Its output was 59,241 bags, 

 which compares with 53,010 bags in the 

 previous year. 



