Vol. in. No. 50. 



THE AGKICULTUKAL NEWS. 



83 



PLANT CANES. 



Taken in connexion with tlie figure.s, yielded by the 

 analyses of the soil made in 1891-2 and in 1902 and 

 contained in the reports for 1896-1902 and for 1902-3, the 

 results indicate that if a British Guiana sugar-cane soil shows 

 on analysis a content of '008 per cent, of phosphoric acid 

 soluble in 1 per cent, citric acid solution or of '002 i)er cent, 

 soluble in two-hundredth normal hydrochloric acid under 

 conditions of constant shaking for five hours, manuring with 

 phosiihates in all probability will not produce a])preciably 

 increased yields of sugar-cane. 



This conclusion based on the results of twelve years' 

 field-experiments is an important one for the guidance of 

 planters in this colony. At present large quantities of 

 slag-i)hosphate.s (1,653 tons valued at 621,849 at port of 

 shipment in 1902-3) are yearly imiiorted, at an approximate 

 cost on the field of say $20-00 per ton, and are applied to 

 the soil at the rates of several hundredweights per acre. 

 By submitting a jiroperly drawn samide of the soil to which 

 he contemplates ajiplying slag-phosphates for analysis (at 

 a cost of $2-50) the planter can ascertain whether his soil 

 contains more or less than -008 per cent, of jihosphoric acid 

 soluble in 1 per cent, citric acid, and be guided accordingly. 

 In my o()inion consideral:>le economy would ensue from the 

 adoption of this course. 



The following, arranged in order of their yields of 

 indicated saccharose, shows the rates of yields of canes per 

 acre and the saccharose-contents of the expressed juices of 

 the varieties of canes which were reaped in December 1903 

 as third ratoons on the Brickdam field : — 



These canes were not supplied and hence the results are 

 indications of the actual ratooning powers of the varieties as 

 compared with the Bouibon. 



The mean indicated saccharose in the expressed juice 

 of each of the varieties per acre per crop, which has been 

 cultivated on this field since 1900, is as follows : — 



The high yield of B. 1 47 in these experiments is worthy 

 of note. As in the earlier Barbados experiments under 

 similar conditions of plot growth, it has appeared to be 

 a cane of exceptional high potential value, while, as it is 

 reported to have been in Barbados, in this colony on a largo 

 scale it has been a comparative failure. 



Six hundred and twenty-five mule-cart loads of canes 

 were distributed during the last fortnight of December to the 

 various plantations and to a very few cane farmers who 

 apjilied for them. I am of opinion that we now know 

 sutHcient about our new varieties of canes to be able to 

 recommend some of them with confidence to cane farmers, 

 and I hope in the near future to receive applications from them. 



