THE CUBA. REVIEW. 



25 



The Short Sugar Crop. 



There has been a short crop this year 

 in Puerto Rico, "Louisiana, Brazil, the 

 Philippines, Texas, Jamaica, the Argen- 

 tine Republic, Trinidad, and Martinique. 

 The original total estimate for all coun- 

 tries of 6,898,877 tons for this season, as 

 against 7,354,250 for the preceding one, 

 has been corrected, and the deficit is now 

 estimated at some 600,000 tons. 



The "Journal des Fabricants de Sucre" 

 says the causes of this general diminu- 

 tion are not only adverse climatological 

 conditions, but scarcity of laborers, the 

 financial crisis in the United States, the 

 high price of raw materials, increase in 

 the cost of living, etc. It says also that 

 the cost of production was increased in 

 the last few years, in all tropical regions 

 as well as in Europe. 



Experiments made to increase the yield 

 and to seek applications for the waste 

 products are characteristic of the past 

 few years. Experiments are now being 

 carried on in the Island of Trinidad to 

 utilize bagasse in the manufacture of 

 paper. 



The bagasse coming from a triple pres- 

 sure machine is conveyed mechanically 

 from the sugar mill to the paper pulp fac- 

 tory, where, after submitting it to boil- 

 ing, it is ground by enormous rotary 

 mill-stones and finally compressed by 

 hydraulic pressure. The cost of manu- 

 facture is small, the inventor says, and 

 the commercial value of the product is 

 pronounced. When the sugar season is 

 over the paper pulp factory can go on 

 working to advantage, using leaves and 

 stalks of banana plants, etc. 



Cuba does not seem to take much in- 

 terest in these experiments, which, not- 

 withstanding, are of importance. The 

 Central Agronomic Station of Santiago 

 de las Vegas would not be losing time, 

 neither would the state lose the money 

 that might be employed in the study of 

 these methods. — Diario de la Marina. 



The Water Problem on the Hawaiian 

 Cane Plantations. 



Speaking of a cane plantation on the 

 Island of Maui, which contained much 

 fine land, the water question remained 

 to be answered, the Beet Sugar Gazette 

 says. 



"Artesian wells were sunk and what 

 seemed an abundant supply was assured. 

 A great pumping plant was installed, a 

 mill ordered, wharves built, and planting 

 on an extensive scale was begun. Nearly 

 $2,000,000 was expended. But it was 

 found that when the heavy pumps were 

 set to work on the artesian wells they 

 pumped faster than the supply of fresh 

 water, and the water came up salt from 

 the sea, to the ruin of the crop. The 



mill was never completed, but was sold 

 and the enterprise abandoned." 



The same question was met and an- 

 swered on another plantation on the 

 same island by the construction of a 

 dam and reservoir capable of storing 

 2,500,000,000 gallons of water, and the 

 enterprise now declares a dividend of 

 six per cent. 



Sugar on High Lands. 



The Olaa Sugar Company's lands lie 

 higher above the sea level than sugar is 

 usually grown in the Hawaiian Islands, 

 though the character and analysis of the 

 soil seemed to indicate that it was ad- 

 mirably suited to cane. The Lahaina 

 variety was planted as being the best' 

 adapted tO' conditions. Results, however, 

 did not justify expectations, so yellow. 

 Caledonia cane was substituted for La- 

 haina vvith better results, the cron this 

 year being estimated at i6,6oo tons. 



Java Sugar. 



The total output for 1907 was 1,144,000 

 tons, an increase of nearly 100,000 tons 

 over 1906. The Hong Kong Telegraph, 

 commenting on this crop, says that "sys- 

 tematic and scientific cultivation, the ra- 

 tional and frequent application of fer- 

 tilizers, a careful selection of the cane, 

 based on the experience of past years, 

 coupled with the best possible attention 

 to the prevention of cane disease, were 

 the chief factors with propitious weather 

 conditions." A new variety of cane has 

 also been discovered, which is said to 

 combine a prolific growth with a very 

 high percentage of sugar. 



Old cane plant, showing root system and new 

 sprouts. 



The Sugar Planters' Journal has issued 

 its new directory of the sugar manufacturers 

 and cane growers of its state, classified 

 as usual by parishes and subdivided into 

 vacuum and open kettle m'anufacturers and 

 cane growers. The whole is bound in card- 

 board covers and has convenient wire loop 

 attached. 



