Sugar and Canefield Estate

Sugar and Canefield Estate. . , The cultivation of sugar cane and production of sugar was introduced to Dominica much later than other islands of the West Indies. It was only after 1763, when Britain took control of Dominica from France by virtue of the Treaty of Paris, that the survey, layout and planting of major estates began., The first British owner of Canefield Estate was Walter Pringle. The bayalong the shore of the estate is still called Pringles Bay Originally, Canefield was 394 acres in extent but eventually was enlarged to 724 acres., Canefield Estate factorywas powered byawatermill and in the 20th century also used steam power. Originally, the water power was the most reliable method of crushing sugar cane for the extraction of juice. Windmills required constant wind to turn the sails and cattle mills required teams of strong and healthy oxen to turn the cogs of the mill. The watermill, however, was powered by the continual flow of water from the nearby stream. This was channelled to the mill via canals and aqueducts. It was the most expensive type of mill to construct because it required a river dam, canals, raised aqueducts and large water wheels, but once in operation, the water was free!", The process of producing sugar was a laborious one:, Two types of cane were reaped from the cane fields. These were planted cane and ratoons. For plant canes, the land was cleared of trees and bush and burnt by "great gangs" composed of the strongest men and women. Then trenches were 'dug for holing in which cane shoots were placed. Each gang worked under a slave driver., The ratoon method was less labour intensive. Every year for about three years a fresh crop was grown from the new shoots which sprang from the previous crop, but this could not be continued for too long as crops yielded less sugar., The second gang made up of the older adults and older children, cleared and tended the growing canes.