The superficies or Plat forme of the Ingenio that grinds or squeeses the canes which make the suger
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At the time we landed on this Iland, which was in the beginning of September, 1647. we were informed, partly by those Planters we found there, and partly by our own observations, that the great work of Sugar-making, was but newly practised by the inhabitants there. Some of the most industrious men, having gotten Plants from Fernamlock, a place in Brasill, and made tryall of them at the Barbadoes; and finding them to grow, they planted more and more, as they grew and multiplyed on the place, till they had such a considerable number, as they were worth the while to set up a very small Ingenio, and so make tryall what Sugar could be made upon that soyl. But, the secrets of the work being not well understood, the Sugars they made were very inconsiderable, and little worth, for two or three years. But they finding their errours by their daily practice, began a little to mend; and, by new directions from Brasil, sometimes by strangers, and now and then by their own people, (who being covetous of the knowledge of a thing, which so much concerned them in their particulars, and for the generall good of the whole Iland) were content sometimes to make a voyage thither, to improve their knowledge in a thing they so much desired. Being now made much abler to make their queries, of the secrets of that mystery, by how much their often failings, had put them to often stops and nonplusses in the work. And so returning with more Plants, and better Knowledge, they went on upon fresh hopes, but still short, of what they should be more skilfull in: for, at our arrivall there, we found them ignorant in three main points, that much conduced to the work; viz. The manner of Planting, the time of Gathering, and the right placing of their Coppers in their Furnaces; as also, the true way of covering their Rollers, with plates or Bars of Iron: All which being rightly done, advance much in the performance of the main work. At the time of our arrivall there, we found many Sugar-works set up, and at work; but yet the Sugars they made, were but bare Muscavadoes, and few of them Merchantable commodities; so moist, and full of molosses, and so ill cur’d, as they were hardly worth the bringing home for England. But about the time I left the Iland, which was in 1650. they were much better’d; for then they had the skill to know when the Canes were ripe, which was not, till they were fifteen months old; and before, they gathered them at twelve, which was a main disadvantage to the making good Sugar; for, the liquor wanting of the sweetnesse it ought to have, caused the Sugars to be lean, and unfit to keep. Besides, they were grown greater proficients, both in boyling and curing them, and had learnt the knowledge of making them white, such as you call Lump Sugars here in England; but not so excellent as those they make in Brasill, nor is there any likelyhood they can ever make such: the land there being better, and lying in a Continent, must needs have constanter and steadier weather, and the Aire much drier and purer, than it can be in so small an Iland, as that of Barbadoes. And now, seeing this commodity, Sugar, hath gotten so much the start of all the rest of those, that were held the staple Commodities of the Iland, and so much over-top’t them, as they are for the most part sleighted and neglected. And, for that few in England know the trouble and care of making it, I think it convenient, in the first place, to acquaint you, as far as my memory will serve, with the whole processe of the work of Sugar-making, which is now grown the soul of Trade in this Iland. And leaving to trouble you and my self, with relating the errours our Predecessors so long wandred in, I will in briefe set down the right and best way they practised, when I left the Iland, which, I think, will admit of no greater or farther improvement.
But, before I will begin with that, I will let you see, how much the land there hath been advanc’d in the profit, since the work of Sugar began, to the time of our landing there, which was not above five or six years: For, before the work began, this Plantation of Major Hilliards, of five hundred acres, could have been purchased for four hundred pound sterling; and now the halfe of this Plantation, with the halfe of the Stock upon it, was sold for seven thousand pound sterling, and it is evident, that all the land there, which has been imployed to that work, hath found the like improvment. And, I believe, when the small Plantations in poor mens hands, of ten, twenty, or thirty acres, which are too small to lay to that work, be bought up by great men, and put together, into Plantations of five, six, or seven hundred acres, that two thirds of the Iland will be fit for Plantations of Sugar, which will make it one of the richest Spots of earth under the Sun.
And now, since I have put my selfe upon this Discovery, I think it fit to let you know the nature of the Plant, the right way of planting it, the manner of growth, the time of growing to ripenesse, the manner of cutting, bringing home, the place where to lay them, being brought home, the time they may lie there, without spoile, the manner of grinding or squeezing them, the conveyance of the liquor to the Cisterns, how long it may stay there without harme, the manner of boyling and skimming, with the conveyance of the skimmings into the Cisterns, in the Still-house, the manner of distilling it, which makes the strongest Spirits that men can drink, with the temper to be put in; what the temper is, the time of cooling the Sugar before it be put into the Pots; the time it staies in the Cureing house, before it be good Muscavado Sugar. And last, the making of it into Whites, which we call Lump-Sugar.
First then, it is fit to set down, what manner of place is to be chosen, to set this Sugar-work, or Ingenio, upon; and it must be the brow of a small hill, that hath within the compasse of eighty foot, twelve foot descent, viz. from the grinding place, which is the highest ground, and stands upon a flat, to the Still house, and that by these descents: From the grinding place to the boyling house, four foot and a halfe, from thence to the fire-room, seven foot and a halfe; and some little descent to the Still house. And the reason of these descents are these; the top of the Cistern, into which the first liquor runs, is, and must be, somewhat lower than the Pipe that convaies it, and that is a little under ground. Then, the liquor which runs from that Cistern must vent it selfe at the bottom, otherwise it cannot run all out; and that Cistern is two foot and a halfe deep: and so, running upon a little descent, to the clarifying Copper, which is a foot and a halfe above the flowre of the Boyling house, (and so is the whole Frame, where all the Coppers stand); it must of necessity fall out, that the flowre of the Boyling house must be below the flowre of the Mill-house, four foot and a halfe. Then admit the largest Copper be a foot and a halfe deep, the bottom of the Copper will be lower then the flowre of the Boyling-house, by a foot; the bottom of the Furnaces must be three foot below the Coppers; and the holes under the Furnaces, into which the ashes fall, is three foot below the bottom of the Furnaces: A little more fall is required to the Still-house, and so the account is made up. Upon what place the Sugar-work is to be set, I have drawn two Plots, that expresse more than language can do, to which I refer you. And so I have done with the Ingenio, and now to the work I promised, which I shall be briefe in.