ðiːz wɜːɹ ˌɪndɪspˈɛnsəbəl fɔːɹ ɡɹˈɪnɪŋ ðə ʃˈʊɡɚ kˈeɪn bᵻfˌoːɹ ðɪ ɚɹˈaɪvəl ʌv stˈiːm məʃˈiːnz ðæt hæd lˈɑːɹdʒɚ flˈæt kəpˈæsᵻɾi ɡɹˈɪnɚz.
These were indispensable for grinning the sugar cane before the arrival of steam machines that had larger flat capacity grinners.