1 Aprry, 1899.]  QueENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. 301 
The total value of artificial manures employed reaches an average of 
£69,889 per annum. Canes are planted annually. ‘I'he most remarkable feature 
in the manufacture of sugar in the island is that, of the 440 sugar estates, only 
99 use steam powet. The remaining 341 are dependent on wind power. On 
only four estates is ram produced at a cost of 3d. per gallon, exclusive of the 
value of the molasses used. 
The net cost of producing a ton of Barbados sugar is £8 12s. 2d. As the 
current price of muscovado (raw) sugar in February last was £8 8s. per ton, 
the loss on every ton of sugar produced in Barbados was 4s. 2d: per ton. 
Owing to the imperfect crushing of the canes in the present mills, and the 
somewhat crude methods of manufacturing the sugar, there is a considerable 
loss incurred on nearly all the estates in Barbados. According to careful 
estimates prepared by the Analytical Chemist and the Superintendent of the 
Botanical Station, and based on experiments extending over seven years, it is 
stated that there is “‘ an average loss of over 2,000 1b. of sugar per acre left in 
the canes after crushing, which is left in the mégass.’’ They add:—* A large 
part of this could have been recovered by more perfect crushing.” “This,” 
says Dr. Morris, “may be expressed in another way. In consequence of- 
imperfect extraction, it now requires 13°6 tons of cane to produce 1 ton of 
sugar.’ The manufacture, according to Professor D’ Albuquerque, is equally 
defective. He states:—‘‘ For every 100 lb. sucrose (crystallisable sugar) con- 
tained in the juice, not more than an average of 75 lb. of ordinary muscovado 
sugar is recovered.” There is, therefore, a loss, owing to imperfect manutac- 
ture, of 25 tons of sugar in every 100 tons contained in.the juice extracted. 
The yield of canes in Barbados in fairly favourable seasons may be estimated 
at 25 tons, and the gain per acre by the adoption of the central-factory system 
at the present range of prices would amount to £6 5s. According to this 
statement, if only one-half of the area of existing estates’ were to adopt the 
central-factory system, the total increased value of the sugar produced would 
amount to nearly a quarter of a million sterling. ; 
[From this it will be easily seen what great losses the early Queensland 
sugar-planters sustained by working with horse-mills, low-powered steam-mills, 
and with open batteries, finishing up by striking from the tache.—Ed. Q.4.J.] 
TRINIDAD 
Of 90 estates in Trinidad only 26 produce vacuum-pan sugar, but the 
appliances for sugar manutacture are pincipally of a modern type. The 
superior class of labourers take up the cultivation of cane on their own or 
on hired land, and sell the canes to the mill-owner ata fixed sum per ton. 
The price at present is 9s. per ton, ; 
TOBAGO. 
Of some 38 sugar estates now existing, not one-half employ steam power. 
Here the cultivation is carried on solely on the metayer system ; the owner of 
the estate supplying the land on which the cane is grown, carts, stock, and the 
necessary machinery. The metayer supplies the labour and grows the cane. 
The sugar made is divided into halves—one for the metayer, one for the estate | 
owner. There is presumably a great loss of available sugar. The sugar-mills 
are all small, and only common muscovado sugar is made. 
One proprietor has already started cane farming with 60 farmers, who 
have agreed to sell their canes at 4s. per ton, the estate undertaking the carting 
to the mill. 
The Commissioner (the Hon. W. Low) stated that “a factory would pay, 
even if foreign bounties were maintained.” 
The cost of producing a hogshead of sugar (2,000 Ib.) under the metayer 
system is £7, equal to £7 16s. 9d. per ton. 
7 oe 
