Number by catalogue:  Michel: 993   Scott: 606  

Perforation type: 14x12 ¾

Subject:

35 cents. Building of sugar mill

Additional:

The plantation agriculture in Suriname is at least 300 years old. This particular kind of agriculture would not have been possible without a good knowledge of hydraulic engineering. Even the elegant plantation homes standing on stilts (neuten) have some connection with water. The sluices around the countryside and the architectural design of the plantation complexes remain unique and historical.
The plantation system is like a polder system which uses hydraulic engineering.
The eldest plantations were located higher up the river not only for security reasons but also the water for planting was fresh and less salty and in addition the soil was more fertile than near the coast.
The first plantation crops were tobacco and sugar. Then - coffee, cotton and cocoa. At present rice, citrus and bananas are grown. In 1720, there were also lesser known crops planted such as orleane a red dye (near Orleane Kreek) and indigo blue (near Blauwgrond).

The bigger plantations used mills powered by water to crush the sugar cane while the smaller ones used animals such as a horse or mule. The remnants of the sugar mills can still be found in the jungle as many plantations were deserted over time especially during the 18th and 19th century. Of the original sugar plantations, only the Sugar Company at Marienburg remains. Its obsolete mills were upgraded in 1921 with new steam engines designed by Werkspoor in Amsterdam.

Topics: Industrial mills Sugar and salt mills