SUGAR PRODUCTION IN U. S. AND FOREIGN COUNTRIES. 17 



In 1909 there were 46 sugar establishments in the islands, of which 

 11 produced products that were valued at more than $1,000,000 each. 

 The largest sugar mill in the islands produced an annual average of 

 49,513 tons of sugar during the period October, 1903, to September. 

 1914. 



In the sugar industry a large amount of fuel is required, and the 

 refuse (bagasse) from the sugar cane has almost entirely supplied the 

 necessary fuel. As shown by the census of 1909 only a small amount 

 of other fuel was required. The fuel used that year was 4,238 tons of 

 coal, 10,957 cords of wood, and 215,365 gallons of oil, including 

 gasoline. 



PORTO RICO. 



The making of sugar is the leading manufacturing industry of 

 Porto Kico. The area under cane is exceeded by coffee, but the value 

 of the cane crop in 1909 was nearly three times that of coffee. The 

 total value of all crops in 1909 was $25,559,265, of which $13,088,812 

 was sugar cane. The area of cane harvested in 1899 was 61,556 acres, 

 as compared with 145,433 in 1909 and 211,110 in 1913. In 1899-1900 

 there were 345 mills in operation, and in 1909-10 this number was re- 

 duced to 108, of which only 55 were in operation. The production of 

 raw sugar was about 35,000 tons in 1899-1900 and 346,786 tons in 

 1909-10, or an increase of nearly tenfold in 10 years. The produc- 

 tion of sugar was about 1,000 pounds per acre under cane in 1899- 

 1900, which increased to more than 4,000 pounds in 1909-10. This in- 

 crease was due partly to a better quality and larger production of 

 cane per acre, but due mostly to improved methods of sugar extrac- 

 tion. 



The average number of wage earners employed in the 108 sugar 

 mills in 1909-10 was 5,062. The smallest number employed during 

 any one month was 2,231 in September, and the largest number was 

 8,403 in March. There are three classes of factories in Porto Eico — 

 the " central " or large mill, the " hacienda " or plantation, which has 

 a small mill for working up ihe cane grown on the plantation, and 

 the " trapichi " or small mill or grinding plant. In 1913 the average 

 output of sugar per mill was S.433 tons for the " centrals," 624 for the 

 '" hacienda," and 20 for the " trapichi." The " centrals " produced 

 398,004 tons of sugar, or 97 per cent in 1913, which ranged from 28.50 

 tons to 51,336.75 tons per factory. 



The total production of sugar in 1909-10 was 346,786 tons, or an 

 average per employee of 136,000 pounds for the year. 



A large area of " ratoon " or " stubble " cane, that is, cane which 

 has sprouted from the stubble of one or more cuttings, is grown 

 in Porto Rico. The cane is permitted to grow from 4 to 15 years 

 62069°— Bull. 473—17 3 



