194 



SUGAB. 



33,643. There were 88 sugar estates 

 14 central Usines or sugar works. 

 The production has been as follows : 



possessing steam mills, and 



Year. 



1865 

 1866 

 1867 

 1868 

 1869 

 1870 

 1871 

 1872 

 1873 

 1874 



Sugar. 



Molasses. 



kilos. 

 32,691,550 

 33,202,000 

 35,068,600 

 36,613,895 

 36,664,000 

 37,820,000 

 38,084,000 

 38,023,000 

 37,835,400 

 38,653,000 



litres. 

 7,909,700 

 7,920,650 

 7,682,500 

 7,942,000 

 6,488,000 

 6,343,000 

 6,437,000 

 6,324,000 

 6,160,000 

 6,206,000 



Rum. 



litres. 

 6,220,500 

 6,272,050 

 6,086,000 

 6,321,000 

 5,268,000 

 5,084,000 

 5,239,000 

 5,218,000 

 5,200,000 

 5,320,000 



The sugar crop of Martinique is probably less than one-half of that 

 of Trinidad; the superior quality, however, manufactured by the 

 Usines, raises the value of the crop much more in proportion. 



The finest soil lies to the north and north-east of the island, where 

 the estates are on a much larger scale than on the south side ; the 

 soil is volcanic, and cartage of canes or produce practicable at all 

 seasons. 



The seasons also are not so marked to the north of the island, less 

 rain falling in the dry season than elsewhere ; so much so, that sugar 

 making and cultivation may be carried on at almost any period of the 

 year. The showers fall principally in the early morning. 



There are no Usines to the north. The largest estate there makes 

 nearly 1000 barriques, equal to about 450 hhds. of a ton weight. The 

 average crop of an estate is, however, from 500 to 600 barriques. 



There will be shortly two Usines near St. Pierre, one of which has 

 been for some time in operation, and the other in course of con- 

 struction to the south of the town of St. Pierre. The Usines are 

 principally erected in the southern part of the island, in the direction 

 of and beyond Fort de France (as it is now called), where the country 

 is more level, and the facilities greater for bringing the canes by rail 

 to the Usines. The estates by which these Usines are now fed were 

 formerly small properties, with inferior machinery of little power, 

 making each from 140 to 180 tons of sugar. These small estates 

 now grow more than double their former crops, which are manu- 

 factured on the Usines into sugar of three qualities, i. e. : — 1st class 

 sugar, of large and strong crystals and to all intents and purposes 

 white ; the 2nd class article, made from the molasses boiled a first 

 time, resembles the ordinary crushed sugar imported from England, 

 but is not quite so white ; the 3rd class is superior in colour to the 

 best muscovado, though somewhat inferior in grain. 



The Usines or central sugar factories having attracted consider- 

 able attention as to their working and alleged successful operations, 

 several official visits were made to them in 1872, and reports sub- 

 mitted. The following is one by Mr. R. H. Burton, Commissioner 

 from Porto Rico. 



