THE AGRICULTURE OR CUBA.-—NO lit. 
203 
I must conclude, by saying, if I have been late 
in replying to Araericus rny apology must be that 
I have been blit one month a subscriber to your 
paper, and received the back numbers only a few 
days since. If I can afford any other information, 
I shall do it with much pleasure. 
J, C. B, 
For the American Agriculturist. 
THE AGRICULTURE OF CURA.—No. Ill 
Ingenio Atalaya , May 18iA, 1843. 
Dear Sir: Agreeably to promise in my last let¬ 
ter, I now proceed to describe the mode in which 
they manufacture sugar in this section of the island. 
As soon as the cane is fully matured, cut, and 
carted to the mill in quantities sufficient to com¬ 
mence the operation of grinding and boiling, a busy 
and cheerful scene ensues. The mills are set in 
motion by oxen urged on by the negro song; the 
canes are passed through the rollers; the rich, 
white juice begins to flow, which is conveyed into 
receivers; negroes are employed in making lime- 
water, washing and cleaning the boilers, adjusting 
the ormas or moulds, and preparing fuel for light¬ 
ing up the fires. The apparatus for grinding usu¬ 
ally consists of three upright rollers of iron or wood, 
turned by oxen, but rarely there may be found the 
horizontal rollers of Collinge improved by Bell and 
others. The canes are twice subjected to the ac¬ 
tion of these rollers, by which means they are 
nearly deprived of their juice; and the trash is car¬ 
ried away, spread upon the ground to dry, and 
afterward used for fuel. The expressed juice 
flows from the mill in gutters into copper receivers 
or clarifiers which are generally two in number, 
and are placed over the flues. The caldrons or 
boilers are four in number, and are proportioned 
in size according to the power of the mill and the 
extent of the plantation. The boiler into which 
the clarified juice is first conveyed from the receiv¬ 
er, is usually equal in capacity to the receiver it¬ 
self, and on this estate contains 720 gallons. The 
second boiler is of about two thirds the magnitude 
of the first; the third three fifths of the second ; 
and the fourth or last boiler employed, is of about 
one half of the capacity of the third. The boilers 
are set near to each other in a direct line, the first 
two having separate flues, which are provided with 
dampers for regulating the draft and diminishing 
at pleasure the action of the fire. 
A trusty man is employed to watch over and di¬ 
rect the whole operation of the mill. A part of 
his duty consists in seeing that all parts of the es¬ 
tablishment and every vessel or implement is kept 
clean and in order. Without this cleanliness, an 
attempt to manufacture good sugar would prove 
futile. The rollers, mill-beds, and gutters for con¬ 
ducting the juice, must be well sprinkled with 
lime whenever the work stops; and every morn¬ 
ing and evening all the utensils must be washed 
with hot ley or lime-water, and afterward rinsed 
with clean, cold water. 
As soon as the mill is put in motion, and a clari¬ 
fier is filled with expressed juice, the fire is lighted 
up, and the process of tempering commenced. 
This consists in adding an alkali to the juice in 
such quantities as the practical knowledge or dis¬ 
cretion of the operator may dictate. In general* 
about one quart of clear lime-water is used, in 
600 or 700 gallons of juice from old cane, and 
about double that quantity to that of new Cane. 
On some plantations, however, in the vicinity of 
Bayatabo, the natural properties of the cane are 
such that no tempering is necessary beyond that 
produced in cleansing the boilers and utensils with 
lime-water, The sugar from the estate of Don 
Juan Callejas, in particular, exceeds in beauty that 
of St. Croix. Samples of this sugar may be seen 
at his agents, Messrs. Holt and Owen, 209 Front 
street, New York, where further information can 
be given relative to its manufacture. 
As the juice in the clarifiers becomes heated 
nearly to the boiling point, the feculent matter 
separates and rises to the surface in the form of a 
scum. It is then conducted into the largest boiler, 
where it is suffered to boil. The scum, as it rises, 
is carefully removed with a scummer, and as soon 
as the juice in this boiler is reduced by scumming 
and boiling, that it can be contained in the second 
boiler, it is laded therein. The same process is 
then continued in the second boiler as in the 
first, and if the color of the liquor does not 
then appear so clear as may be desired, more 
lime-water is added. If the froth rises in large 
bubbles, and the liquor is clear, it is considered to 
be in good condition. When the liquor is suffi¬ 
ciently reduced to be contained in the third boiler, 
it is transferred therein, and so on to the fourth, 
where the fire is more intense. The last two 
boilers are kept full by constantly lading the sirup 
from one into the other, and at the same time con¬ 
tinuing the scumming. When the ebullition of 
the sirup becomes too violent, it is prevented from 
running over by heating it and breaking the bub¬ 
bles with a large skimmer or wooden spatula. As 
soon as the “ proof point” arrives, the fire is abated, 
and the sirup as rapidly laded into a cooler, and 
the boilers immediately refilled. This point is de¬ 
termined by observing when grains of sugar begin 
to form on the back of the ladle when cooled; or, 
when a thread of the sirup produced by the thumb 
and forefinger will break before it can be drawn 
beyond a length of half an inch. 
Contiguous to the boilers are placed the coolers, 
which generally consist of large log troughs, or 
vessels formed of planks about ten feet long, five 
feet wide, and one foot deep. Two successive 
charges of sirup are conveyed from the last boiler 
into each cooler, and there left to remain until 
crystallization takes place, which usually requires 
but a few hours. The sirup or sugar is then trans¬ 
ferred into the ormas or conical earthen moulds, 
or more recently into barrels or hogsheads, which 
are placed over the molasses cistern and left to 
drip. In the course of 24 to 36 hours the plugs 
are withdrawn from the ormas or hogsheads, and 
they are allowed to remain undisturbed for 20 or 
30 days. The sugar is then removed from the 
moulds and emptied on wooden platforms, and ex¬ 
posed to the rays of the sun until its color and tex¬ 
ture please the operator. It is then assorted and 
packed jup in casks for shipment. 
