Diary of Sugar Plantation Owner
Sugar Plantation
John Barrett, an 18th-century plantation owner in Trelawny, Jamaica.
February 14, 1782
The slaves are quite busy as we are at the height of the crop season. Late last year, the former owner did some renovation to the various factory buildings including the boiling house, the distillery, the curing house and the trash house. These various buildings play an integral role in the manufacturing process for sugar. The boiling house is important as this is where the sugar cane juice was boiled. The trash house is where the crushed cane stalks are dried to burn in the furnace. The distillery/still house is also important as this is where rum is produced.
February 26, 1782
Sugar cane cultivation is divided into two seasons - the dead season and the crop season. The dead season was between August to November of each year. In this period slaves would do the holing, manuring, ratooning and weeding of older ratoons. As well, there would be the construction of buildings, timber-cutting, road repair and any odd jobs until the crop was ready.
The crop season was between November and July. This was the busiest and most important period on the plantation calendar. It would begin with cane-cutting and continue with the manufacturing of the sugar cane.
March 20, 1782
The season is going very well but the manufacturing process is quite a time-consuming one. It begins with the cane being sent to the mill where it is crushed and the juice extracted and the trash sent to the trash house. The cane juice is then sent to the boiling house where it is passed through a series of boilers. The cane juice is taken from the cistern, strained and put in the first copper kettle, which is the largest. The juice is then heated and a little lime is added to the mixture to remove impurities. The juice is then skimmed and channelled through the other copper kettles, each smaller and hotter than the previous. The last kettle is called the teache. It is then put into cooling
John Barrett, an 18th-century plantation owner in Trelawny, Jamaica.
February 14, 1782
The slaves are quite busy as we are at the height of the crop season. Late last year, the former owner did some renovation to the various factory buildings including the boiling house, the distillery, the curing house and the trash house. These various buildings play an integral role in the manufacturing process for sugar. The boiling house is important as this is where the sugar cane juice was boiled. The trash house is where the crushed cane stalks are dried to burn in the furnace. The distillery/still house is also important as this is where rum is produced.
February 26, 1782
Sugar cane cultivation is divided into two seasons - the dead season and the crop season. The dead season was between August to November of each year. In this period slaves would do the holing, manuring, ratooning and weeding of older ratoons. As well, there would be the construction of buildings, timber-cutting, road repair and any odd jobs until the crop was ready.
The crop season was between November and July. This was the busiest and most important period on the plantation calendar. It would begin with cane-cutting and continue with the manufacturing of the sugar cane.
March 20, 1782
The season is going very well but the manufacturing process is quite a time-consuming one. It begins with the cane being sent to the mill where it is crushed and the juice extracted and the trash sent to the trash house. The cane juice is then sent to the boiling house where it is passed through a series of boilers. The cane juice is taken from the cistern, strained and put in the first copper kettle, which is the largest. The juice is then heated and a little lime is added to the mixture to remove impurities. The juice is then skimmed and channelled through the other copper kettles, each smaller and hotter than the previous. The last kettle is called the teache. It is then put into cooling