j Vol. Iir. No. 52. 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



115 



SUGAR INDUSTRY. 



Sugar-cane Experiments at Barbados. 



With the view of assisting in experiments with 

 new seedling canes at Barbados, Professor d'Albu- 

 querque has ottered to undertake the analyses, free of 

 charge, of samples of juice obtained from canes grown 

 on one acre and upwards of new seedling varieties, 

 provided infoi-mation of the name of the variety, the 

 area and weight of canes reaped or the number of 

 gallons of juice obtained is forwarded for record. 



Sugar-cane Experiments in India. 



A Bulletin has recently been published by the 

 Madras Agricultural Department giving an account 

 of the experiments that are being conducted at the 

 Sugar-cane station at Samalkot in the Godavari dis- 

 trict. The following extracts from the Bulletin, which 

 is written by Mr. C. A. Barber, M.A., F.L.S., are likely 

 to be of interest : — 



The growing of sugar-cane in the Godavari district, 

 whieli was in former times so profitable an undertaking, has, 

 during the last few years, suffered verj' considerably because 

 of the disease which has attacked tlie canes. 



This disease has received very careful attention by the 

 Agricultural Department, and a special Goveriunent garden 

 has been opened at Samalkot for its study and tliat of cane 

 cultivation generally. The following remarks show what 

 is being done in this garden. 



The canes are being grown in all sorts of different ways. 

 The objects of these ex[(eriments are : — 



(1) to see if by any particular method of planting and 

 cultivation the disease may be lessened and healthy canes 

 may be grown, and 



(2) to test the mode of planting sugar-cane in other 

 countries, particularly tlie West Indies, so as to lessen the 

 great expense to which the ryot is put in this country. 



Another fact which must always be borne in mind is 

 that plants as well as animals are like their parents, and if a 

 diseased piece of seed is put in, the plant which grows from 

 it will also be diseased. It is then very foolish for the ryot 

 to leave for seed that part of his field which is too poor to 

 make jaggery. And yet, this is very often done. All seed 

 v'ith any red mark in it must very carefully be separated 

 and on no account planted. This is clone every year at the 

 Samalkot station. 



So much for the growing of healthy canes ; now for the 

 modes of cultivation in other countries. The ryot usually 

 .spends nuich money on sugar-cane cultivation. Some of this 

 is wisely spent, but some of it is unprofitable. In the 

 Godavari district he p ants a very great number of cane sets 

 to the acre ; he spends much money in tying and wrapping 

 his canes ; and, lastly, uses a vast number of bamboos to 

 support them. Fewer seed are used in other countries ; no 

 wrapping is done, and no bamboos are used. This is managed 

 by planting the canes in a different manner — by deeper 



cultivation and hy draining the land better. The plants are 

 also put further apart and so become self-supporting bushes 

 instead of long poles, like the bamboos to which they are tied. 

 Expeiiments are being tried in this matter at Samalkot, 

 where ryots can see for themselves what is being done. 



There are, for instance, several jilots which have been 

 planted with only one-thiyd the seed canes that are usual ; 

 no wrapping has been done, and no bamboos are used. It 

 will be interesting to see the results. Of course the 

 cultivation of the ground is deeper, and the drainage is very 

 carefully attended to. This will .show that attempts are 

 being made to grow canes cheai>Iy, and tlie exact mode will 

 be explained to any one who takes the trouble to come and 

 look at the Government Garden. 



Careful trials are being made at Samalkot to pro- 

 duce a better class of compost for the fields. For this 

 purpose, pits are dug in the ground, 6 feet across each way 

 and 4 feet deep. Into these pits are thrown all rubbish, 

 sweepings, dead leaves, paddy husks, ashes, cattle manure 

 and even fresh grass and bushes, until the pit is full. It is 

 then covered over with earth and left until the time for 

 ploughing. When it is opened, one of these pits is found to 

 contain many cart loads of excellent manure. 



EXPERIMENT WITH ENGLISH POTATOS. 



An experiment has recently been conducted by the Hon. 

 Dr. John Sealy at Hill View, Barbados, in the cultivation of 

 English potatos. The following is a brief statement of the 

 results : — 



About 309 tt). of the Bliss Triumiih variety were planted 

 from November 4 to 13, 1903, on } acre, at a distance of 

 5 feet by 1 foot. The tubers were dug from Februarj- 5 to 

 12, 1904. The total rainfall during the period between 

 planting and reajiing was 20-22 inches, which is about 5 

 inches above the average. 



The total weight of potatos dug was 751 lb. and these, 

 when disposed of, yielded .?14-27. It is estimated that the 

 cost of seed potatos and planting was $7 '41, leaving a profit 

 of ■■?686 for the | acre. 



It is pointed out, however, that the distance between 

 the ]i)lants was unnecessarily great : had the potatos been 

 planted at a distance of, saj-, 3 feet by 1| feet, an additional 

 yield of 3.30 fc. might have been expected, which would have 

 materially increased the profit. 



Dr. Sealy concludes from the beneficial effect of an 

 abundant rainfall that it would be advisable to plant English 

 j)otatos somewhat earlier than was done in this case, say, 

 towards the end of September. 



Condensed Eggs. The United States Consul 

 General at Frankfort, Germany, reports: 'The commercial 

 agent for Canada in Johannesburg states that South Africa 

 is a good market for condensed eggs, as fresh eggs are from 

 3s. 6(7. to 7s. 6d. per dozen. Condensed eggs are prepared 

 from ordinary eggs by depriving them of their superfluous 

 water and adding sugar. When being ijrejiared for use, 

 some water is added and the mixture quickly beaten ; it can 

 then hardly be distinguished from fresh eggs. These 

 condensed eggs are put up for the South African market in 

 hermetically closed boxes, each containing from I It), to 

 several pounds. A 1-lb. box contains about fifteen eggs.' 

 {U. S. Constdir BeJ^orts.) 



