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Chapter 45: Tutangliao 2
But it seems that the color of this sugar is very dark, darker than the ordinary brown sugar you usually see, almost the so-called "brown sugar" download.
What flowed down from the vat was black in color, and Wen Tong knew that it was "molasses" - during the refining process of the cane juice, as the sugar continued to crystallize out, the last thing left was the dark mother liquor. This kind of The mother liquor still contains a lot of sugar, but it cannot be separated out economically. It was not until the 1970s that the sugar in it could be recycled. Earlier, molasses, as a waste material, could only be comprehensively utilized. One of the most promising uses is in making wine - the raw material of rum is molasses.
The workers said that the leaked sugar, which they called "gushui sugar", could be boiled into a kind of brown sugar and could also be used to make food, but it could not be exported.
Wen Tong shook his head. It doesn't matter if we don't make this kind of brown sugar. The economic value is too low. It's really not as good as making wine. he asks:
“Is there anyone making white sugar or rock sugar here?”
Several workers just shook their heads after hearing this. Liao Dahua translated and said that no one in Xuwen, Haikang and other places makes white sugar and rock sugar. All sugar factories make brown sugar like this, and some also make sugar bricks. The method is to make red sugar according to the method. The method of boiling sugar is to boil the cane juice until it becomes a paste, then take it out and pour it into a large iron basin. Stir it frequently with a wooden stick until it crystallizes. Then pour it into a square sugar box and cut it into pieces with a knife to make brick sugar. . Brick candy is packed in large bamboo baskets with dried cane leaves, and each basket contains 50 pieces.
Wen Tong remembered that the real method of making white sugar appeared in the late Ming Dynasty, using the method of pouring yellow mud water. This method is not technically difficult, so why does no one use it locally?
Wen Tong calculated the entire sugar-making process and calculated that the daily output of brown sugar in this sugar house was about 100 kilograms. The scale is really pitiful, and judging from the entire process just now, although the leading fire master is very familiar with the entire process, he obviously has no experience in the specific operation, whether it is the size of the fire, the timing of sugar production, or adding lime. It seems very hesitant, and the quality of the sugar produced is obviously not high. And because the stove was poorly constructed, the firepower was difficult to adjust, and several pots of sugar liquid were burned. After adding lime, the precipitate is poured out before filtering, and a lot of sugar is lost. There are still many places that can be improved here.
While I was deep in thought, someone brought several sugarcane farmers nearby to work. Wen Tong asked them about their situation one by one. They found that the planting areas of these sugarcane farmers were very small, as small as a dozen acres, and as large as only thirty or forty acres. According to them, each acre can produce about three shi of sugar. They planted sugar cane and after harvesting it, they sent it here for processing and making sugar. This sugar factory uses a share-sharing method for the processing of incoming materials: the sugar factory gets 40% and the sugarcane farmers get 60%. In some places, they pay for processing, and the products go to the sugarcane farmers. After calculation, the costs for both sides are almost the same.
According to the sugarcane farmers, the destination of the produced sugar is whether it is produced by the sugar factory itself or processed by the sugarcane farmers. In the end, most of it is transported to Hai'an Street in Haikang and purchased by the sugar shop. Most of these sugar shops were opened by Chaozhou and Guangfu people, specializing in the export of local sugar. Bags of candy are shipped out from Hai'an Port.
"How much money can you make from growing sugar cane like this?" Wen Tong was curious.
"One acre can net you six to seven thousand cash," one of the sugarcane farmers said. "Although the taxes are heavier, the income is pretty good, but the interest is high. After paying off the principal and interest, you won't be left with much money."
"Interest" Wen Tong found it strange that he had to borrow money to grow sugar cane.
"This is why the gentlemen don't know the difficulty of us farmers." The sugarcane farmer said with a wry smile. "Although the income from sugarcane farming is not small, it consumes too much water and fertilizer. Just buying fertilizer is a big expense. If it doesn't rain, you still have to pay for it." When you hire people for transportation and harvesting sugar cane, you have to hire small laborers, and the cost of one acre of land is at least four to five thousand cash. If the country people don't have cash, they have to find someone to borrow money."
The interest on the loan is 15 to 20 percent, which seems not high, but after the sugar is processed, it must be shared equally with the creditor. As a result, the income was reduced by half out of thin air. Both Wen Tong and Chang Shide felt that this loan sharking was really dark.
"I got it." Wen Tong nodded and said, "Even though I'm a new takeover here, I still want to give you some benefits. During this crushing season, anyone who comes to my place to make sugar will receive 30% of your charge."
"Thank you shopkeeper for your kindness." Several sugarcane farmers were so grateful that they almost knelt down and kowtowed. This was equivalent to a 10% reduction in harvest out of thin air, and each household could save a lot of money.
After sending everyone away, Wen Tong returned to the hall, and Liao Dahua and others followed closely.
"Shopkeeper Liao, you are the shopkeeper of the semicolon here. I have delayed you for several days. Haikang's semicolon -" Wen Tong felt sorry.
"It's okay, it's okay," Liao Dahua said quickly, "Isn't this Haikang's semicolon just for Dongzhu Guo? I will naturally go all out for the things that he has taken care of." Although he was a serious official, he The shopkeeper of Qi Wei's branch in Leizhou is not actually a bodyguard who practices martial arts, but a bankrupt small businessman. The original intention of Qi Wei's branch in Leizhou is not to be a bodyguard, but to cooperate with Guo Dongzhu in doing business. It is suitable for someone like him to preside over it.
"His old man". Wen Tong thought that Guo Yi was really awesome now. He immediately said: "There is no one here right now. We have to ask for help. We need to find a long-term foreman and a candy cook. These are top priorities. If we are unfamiliar with the place, I will give it to you."
Although I have just seen many shortcomings in the process, technical transformation cannot be done in a day or two. It not only requires equipment, but also the transformation of basic facilities. I don't have the time at the moment. The crushing season has begun. Now, for the time being, it is up to Xiao Gui and Cao Sui to follow the old method of producing sugar as quickly as possible.
"Easy to say, easy to say." Liao Dahua nodded repeatedly, "It's all on me. It will be done within three days."
"Don't worry too much about the wages. Now is the time to hire people. By the way, if you can recruit long-term workers or people who sell themselves, just choose honest and reliable people to recruit them."
"Yes." He took a step forward and lowered his voice, "If there are suitable girls, can you bribe a few to take care of the daily life of Shopkeeper Wen and Master Chang? Guangzhou has only sent two rough works. I am a woman with rough hands and feet, so I am afraid she will not be able to serve you two well."
"Okay." Chang Shide said quickly, "Don't be too young, and don't be too thin."
Wen Tong glanced at him in confusion. This guy was a little too impatient. It's not that he doesn't have this idea, the executive committee has also granted them the power to recruit local indigenous people for use, but now they are in a hurry to find women just after settling down, and the image will not be good if they are sent back.
"I think this matter should be slowed down," Wen Tong said, "We just came to Leizhou, and we have to go to various places to see it. I'm afraid we will have to travel for several weeks. Buying a maid will cause trouble on the road, so we should let It would be more convenient for the pair of boy servants to follow." Hearing this, the pair of boy servants standing next to him blushed with embarrassment and lowered their heads in silence.
Liao Dahua was startled, his eyes glanced around, and a look of "sudden realization" suddenly appeared on his face:
"Yes, yes, I was a little abrupt."
Neither of them understood what he "enlightened" at all, but there were too many things to do now, so they didn't delve into it. It was getting late at this time, and Liao Dahua and others all said goodbye and left. The bodyguards he brought with him were all living in Zhuangzi to protect them. Liao Dahua did not dare to take it lightly - Xuwen was the place with the most chaotic social order in Leizhou Prefecture. Bandits and strongmen are rampant. Sugar cane farms and sugar shacks with more property were both targets of their robbery. Zhou Shizhai and Li Biao lived in a room outside their house and took care of them at all times.
In the evening, two maids sent from Guangzhou came to say hello. Although these two maids were not muscular women and looked thin and shriveled, they were very strong. They first brought a newly made deep and large bidet. , followed by a steady stream of barrels of hot water and lots of soap locusts. The two of them had been running around for two days, and it was so dusty that a bath like this was just what they needed. Wen Tong immediately stripped naked, soaked in hot water for a while before crawling out, and sat on a bamboo stool and smeared it with soap beans. On the body, although the soap locust feels a little difficult to apply, the area it is applied is slippery and greasy, and it also has a refreshing smell, which is much better than the soap distributed in the Lingao office.
"Old Chang, help me apply soap." Wen Tong said to Chang Shide who was soaking in hot water with his eyes closed and resting.
"Your name is Brother Wen Xiu for this job. Aren't you our little boy? This is what you do. Please allow me to enjoy it for a while." Chang Shide was soaking in hot water with a look of ecstasy on his face.
Wen Tong thought it was right, and he could also rub his back or something by the way. Then he straightened his throat and shouted. Wenxiu responded and came in from next door. He had changed into shorts and trousers, and was barefoot.
"My master's body is really strong." Wen Xiu said while rubbing his back vigorously.
"Hmph, he's so thin, but he's still strong." Chang Shide made a splashing sound, "Look at my chest muscles - the Ghost Head Sword is not for nothing."
Wenxiu didn't dare to speak. Wen Tongdao: "Who did you learn Mandarin from?"
"I learned it from Butler Sun."
Wen Tong and Chang Shide already knew before departure that Sun Daguan was Sun Chang, the main indigenous staff member of Guangzhou Station.
"Xiao Guo must have raised a lot of people there."
Wenxiu hesitated for a moment, not daring to confirm that the "Xiao Guo" mentioned by the master was Dongzhu Guo, whom they regarded as a god. After a moment of hesitation, he replied:
"Yes, there are no less than dozens of people." Wen Xiu was very attentive and thorough, "They all learned to speak Mandarin from Butler Sun. Boss Guo said that this is all prepared for the gentlemen who will come in the future -"
Chang Shide laughed a few times: "Xiao Guo is really good at getting things done. As soon as we arrived in Leizhou, we already had all the servants. Otherwise, there wouldn't even be anyone who can speak." He yawned, "Today It’s really boring. It reminds me of watching folk performances. By the way, are there any improvement plans for sugar production?”
"There are improvements, but it will be too late to make major changes soon. Let's deal with them first." Wen Tong gestured, and Wen Xiu scooped out water from the bucket next to him and washed him. The warm water washed his body, which was very refreshing. Cozy, "I'll go to the fields tomorrow to have a look, and then I'll go to other Zhuangzi and sugar mills to check on the situation soon."
"Come on, rub my back too." Chang Shide climbed out. His body was much stronger than Wen Tong's. Although he was a fat man, he usually exercised a lot. After the D-day, he did a lot of physical work, and his chest There are muscles on the abdomen and thighs. Wenxiu glanced at his body with awe and envy, and said with a charming smile:
"Master has a really good physique." She said and rubbed his back.
"I think there are too many sugar factories. We should simply merge them and cancel them. Set up a general factory for intensive production and transport all the sugar cane for unified processing. It is easy to scale up and it is easy to use bagasse."
"I think so, but farmers like to process it nearby. Who wants to go through mountains and rivers to sell sugar cane? It's troublesome. The road here is not easy." Wen Tong said, "Look at the distribution of these sugar cane farms. If they are scattered It’s very exciting, the sugar industry in Leizhou is like a tea table.”
The problem he thought was actually much more complicated. He already had an overview of Leizhou's sugar industry today, and what to do next remained to be investigated. As for the improvements, it was far from just a matter of processing equipment and production techniques. In the sugar house, he had already checked the sugar cane used for juice extraction, and it turned out to be bamboo cane. This is a type of sugar cane native to China. Although it is a specialized variety for sugar extraction, its sugar content is not as high as that of "Kunlun sugar cane" - although the latter is actually fruit cane. Even in Leizhou, a place blessed with sugar cane, the sugar content of bamboo cane is only 9, which is far lower than the common standard of 14 for modern sugar varieties. From this point of view, there is great potential for improving the variety of sugar cane itself. The agricultural department has preserved many improved sugarcane seedlings, and you can try planting them here. Not to mention field management, there should be more room for improvement.
"Yes - alas, oh, oh, it's so comfortable. Are your massage skills good?" Chang Shide felt so comfortable being served that he couldn't help but groan.
"Young ones have learned all the skills of serving others." Wen Tong massaged his back as hard as he could to please.
"Otherwise it would be rough processing in various places, and the brown sugar would be shipped here to be aggregated and processed into white sugar."
"I think so too, but I have to look at the situation in each place before I say it."
After the two of them took a bath, the maids came again to drain away the dirty water, tidy up the house, and wash the clothes they had changed out of. After a while, dinner was served again. Wine was also served, which was "Xuwen liquid" produced locally in Xuwen, a kind of local wine brewed from jackfruit. Liao Dahua and Zhou Shizhai accompanied them at the table, and they both drank a symbolic glass. Wen Tong didn't drink much in the first place, and Chang Shide drank almost all the wine in the end. Although he was not drunk, he was still a little tipsy. Wen Tong had no choice but to ask Wen Xiu to help this guy back. Originally, he wanted to talk to him about things at night, but now it seems that he can only go to bed after dark. ,.
