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 Rico. 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 Rico — 
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 8,433 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 
