AGKICULTURAL EESOUKOES, ETC., OF POETO BICO. 13 



j'ears without fertilization of the crop, a proof of the marvelous pro- 

 ductive capacity of the soil. The growing crop of cane looked as if 

 it would yield 20 tons per acre. 



Cane Culture. 



Instead of planting in drills as in the United States, with the middle 

 upon each side deeply furrowed for drainage, the Porto Rican method 

 is to plant in double rows of hills, allowing the rubbish from the canes 

 of the previous crops to be windrowed between the rows of cane and 

 alternating with the deeply plowed middles, thus placing the drainage 

 middles about 10 to 12 feet apart. The drainage middles are 5 to 6 feet 

 wide, but those for piling the rubbish are narrower. This has some 

 advantage over our plan and some disadvantages. It is of great bene- 

 fit to the soil to allow the rubbish to decay upon it. It acts as a mulch 

 and as a positive fertilizer. On the other hand, while our method of 

 burning the rubbish is wasteful of the fertilizer, it gives better drain- 

 age by allowing a deeply plowed middle on each side of a row of cane. 

 Cane planting is almost a continuous operation from December till 

 July following, as canes are cut for the mill. On the,2d of July, near 

 Arecibo, I saw trains of carts carrying cane to the sugar factory, and 

 as late as the 7th of July a factory south of Mayaguez was still grind- 

 ing cane. In both cases I was informed that the saccharine contents 

 were very low — reduced by the rains — and gave only about 130 pounds 

 of sugar per ton of cane. 



The average period for maturing cane is one year, dating from the 

 cutting of the previous crop. Where the planting for some excep- 

 tional reason must be done as late as July, generally white cane is 

 planted and allowed to stand till a year from the following December 

 before cutting, allowing eighteen months in which to mature. Ribbon 

 cane, if allowed to stand so long, matures and cracks open, souring 

 the juice. This long period is given to avoid cutting in the rainy 

 season. 



Manufacture of Sugar. 



There are but few modern sugar mills in Porto Rico. Most of them 

 have a single three-roller mill and are strictly upon the old open- 

 kettle or Jamaica plan, using the dried bagasse under the kettles for 

 fuel, and completing the reduction in an open steam evaporator. 

 Draining is accomplished in the usual way, producing a low to extra 

 grade of muscovado sugar, according to the care taken. Little fuel 

 in addition to the bagasse is required. 



Large planters have introduced steam train vacuum pans and cen- 

 trifugals; a few have double mills, triple effects, vacuum pans, etc. 

 All defecate the juice with lime, but I found no filter presses, though 

 I was informed that some were in use. Factories make from 140 to 

 190 pounds of sugar per ton of cane, according to process pursued. 

 Only one factory was reported as making 200 pounds. 



The progress of the sugar industry may be noted by the following 

 statistics : 



Equipment of sugar factories, 1888 and 1898. 



Factory equipment. 



Factories with steam vacuum pans 



Factories with open steam evaporators 



Factories using ox power and open kettles . 



.50 

 100 

 100 



