Sugar Part 1

Description

The original catalog description provided by the Ford Motor Company reads as follows: “Arranged in cooperation with the American Sugar Refining Company.” “The first cane sugar was made in China many centuries ago. Shortly after the discovery of America, sugarcane cultivation began in the West Indies which now produce more than one-fourth of the world’s sugar. Southern Louisiana is the sugarcane center of the United States.” “The sugarcane fields in the rich soil, warm temperature and rainfall of Louisiana. This growth is over 15 feet high.” Sugarcane field. “To grow the sugarcane, the rich level land is plowed and trenched.” Two tractors drawing plow, followed by two teams of horses. “The trenches are five feet apart and form the rows.” Tractor trenching field. “The ‘seeds’ are the small, sprouts from the old cane.” Hand pointing out sprouts on cane. “Pulling out the sprouts for seeds.” Overseer on horseback directing Negro workers using mule-drawn plow. “Loading the sprouts and carting them to the trenches.” Negro workers loading sprouts into mule-drawn cart. “Placing the sprouted cane lengthwise in the trenches.” Negro workers placing sprouts from cart into trenches. “The trench is 8 to 12 inches deep.” Sprouts in trench. “Covering the sprouts.” Worker guiding plow drawn by two mules, wooden pole between mules to keep them separated, overseer on horseback directing work. “The first hoeing of the new cane.” Line of Negro adults and children hoeing field. “From one planting the roots produce canes for two or three seasons.” Workers hoeing field, overseer on horseback. “The cane grows rapidly and after two hoeings it receives no further cultivation.” Sugarcane field. “In 18 months the cane has grown 18 feet.” Workers chopping cane with machetes. “Using a heavy knife the cane is cut close to the ground.” Workers cutting cane. “Many laborers are necessary as this cane must be harvested quickly when it is ripe.” Workers stacking cane. “It is hot and heavy labor.” Worker carrying stack of cane. “Ripe cane is full of sweet juice.” Man twisting cane, juice dripping. “This load of cane, fresh from the fields, will make 120 pounds of white sugar.” High wheeled oxen-drawn carts loaded high with cane. “The raw brown sugar is shipped to the refineries in New York and Philadelphia to be purified.” View of large sugar refinery from moving boat in river. “Vessels from Cuba and Louisiana discharging cargoes of raw sugar at the refinery.” Freighter at dock. “Unloading bags of raw sugar.” Workers using cranes to unload bags of sugar from hold of freighter. “Taking sample of the raw sugar for testing.” Worker using punch to take sample from bag. “The raw coarse sugar is crushed and dissolved in water.” Sugar pouring from chute into large vat. “Separating the sugar crystals from the sugar solution.” Workers inspecting line of covered vats. “The sugar crystals are made into a syrup in the melting pan.” Worker taking sample from steaming vat. “The impurities are removed from the syrup in bag filters.” Close-up of filters. “The dark color of the syrup is removed in the char filters.” Steam rising from open vat, worker - large tanks that are cone shaped on bottom. “The sugar syrup before and after filtering.” Two graduates, one containing dark syrup and the other clear. “The colorless syrup is pumped to the vacuum tank where evaporation occurs.” Worker near tank. “Each tank holds 3,000 gallons of syrup, which is slowly boiled until it grains or crystallizes. Watching the sugar for crystallization.” Worker taking sample from tank - sample on glass slide. “The sugar crystals are dumped into a mixer.” Sugar flowing into vat. “Separating the sugar crystals from the remaining syrup by whirling.” Sugar flowing into whirling drum. “The damp sugar is carried from the centrifugal to be dried by hot air in the revolving drum.” Sugar in screw in bottom of tank - large revolving drums - sugar in drum. “The dry white sugar is stored in bins until packed for shipment.” Sugar flowing into bins - packing machine in operation. “For loaf sugar the white sugar is melted.” Liquid sugar in vat. “The melted sugar is molded into plates.” Sugar pouring into molds - large number of molds, lifted from vat. “Drying and cutting the sugar plates.” Plates placed into racks, entering slicing machine, cubing machine. “Packing cubes of sugar.” “End.” “Ford Educational Library.” [1925

Collection

Ford Motor Company Collection

Series

Motion Picture Films Relating to the Ford Motor Company, the Henry Ford Family, Noted Personalities, Industry, and Numerous Americana and Other Subjects