It also encourages
small growers who could not afford to build mills and might in
consequence abandon sugar raising. The leaves are all stripped off
before the cane is shipped so that nothing but the stalks are sent.
As the largest portion of sugar is in the part of the cane nearest
the ground it is cut as close to the root as possible. After the
juice has been crushed from the stalks by putting them several times
through the rollers the cane, or _begass_, as it is called, is
so dry that it can be used as fuel for running the mill machinery."
"How clever!"
"Clever and economical as well," agreed Mr. Hennessey. "Moreover, it
does away with a waste product that otherwise would accumulate."
Bob nodded.
"Raw sugar has usually been shipped to the northern refineries by
water, as that mode of transportation is cheaper; but during the
Great War ships have been so scarce that in 1916 a large consignment
of Hawaiian sugar was for the first time sent overland across the
American continent by train; this of course made the freight rates
higher, and if such a condition were to continue the price of sugar
would of necessity have to be advanced."
"I never thought of such things affecting us," murmured Van.
"We live in a network of interdependence," Mr. Hennessey replied.
"Scarcely anything can be done in any land that does not affect us.
Commercial conditions react upon us all, for there is not one of us
who is not indebted to the four corners of the globe for what he
eats, wears, and uses.
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