Vol. I. No. 12. 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



179 



as .a good all-ronnd cano. Its juice was ricli and pure. 

 Its indicated yield of muscovado sugar tor j)laiit canes 

 on black soils was 2"G tons [)cr acre and 18 tons per 

 acre on red soils. 



With regard to this cane it was unfortunately 

 necessary to give a note of warning. The nund)er and 

 Weight i>f rotten canes were counted every year, from 

 each plot, and White Transparent was this year at 

 the bottom of the list. Last year also it had a 

 considerable number of rotten canes. Planters should 

 take pains to plant only from canes showing no signs 

 of fungoid disease. 



B. 147 gave unsatisfactory results as to the 

 average quality of its juice. Its indicated yield of 

 muscovado sng:ar was, however, very hiafh on black 

 soils, being 30 tons per acre : on red soils the estimated 

 yield was only 14 tons per acre. 



NEW SEEDLINGS. 



A large number of seedling canes have been 

 crushed and testeil for the first time and thirty-one 

 selected for more extended cultivation. The calculated 

 saccharine yield of all of these selected seedlings 

 ■was over 9,000 lb. per acre. The juice of the lowest 

 contained 1928 lb. of saccharose per gallon, and 

 the highest 2"487 lb. The quotient of purity of the 

 latter cane was 94'03 and its glucose ratio 2"21. 



8])ace does not allow us to dwell on all the 

 interesting points discussed by Mr. Bovell. Some of 

 those remaining, together with the remarks of 

 Dr. Morris, we propose to deal with in our next 

 issue. 



Sugar-cane Experiments in British Gtiiana. 



The following extracts are taken from the Progress 

 RejKirt by Prof J. B. Harrison, C.M.G., on the 

 Sugar-cane experiments in British Guiana, for the 

 half-year ending June 30, last. The report for the 

 ])revious half-year will be found on pp. 2 and 3. : — 



Early in March a commencement was made of the 

 very necessary work of improving the drainage of the 

 experiment fields. During the period under review 

 this has been steadfastly followed up, and, assisted by 

 the advice of the Honbles. B. H. Jones and R. (J. 

 Duncan, and the expert supervision of Mr. B. Gainfort, 

 membei-s of the Sugar-cane Experiments' Committee of 

 the Board of Agriculture, the drainage system has 

 been to a great extent remodelled and at present its 

 efficiency is far beyond that hitherto attained. From 

 the improvements contemplated to be carried out by 

 Mr. Gainfort in the near future with regard to the 

 main drainage of the Botanic Gardens estate, I antici- 

 pate a further marked improvement in the condition 

 of the Board of Agi'iculture's experiment fields. 



The experiments with selected varieties of seedling 

 canes have been continued in the Brickdam field 

 during the period imder review and the canes have 

 received appropriate agi'icultural treatment. The 

 older varieties of .seedlings there planted show promise 

 of satisfactory returns as second ratoons: the newer 



varieties planted in February have not done so well, 

 having been adversely affected by the continuous rain- 

 fall, but now show signs of promise. Similarly, 396 

 seedlings of 1891 from the White Transparent and 

 Bourbon varieties, planted in this field have been 

 retarded in growth. 



The canes on the manurial experiment field were 

 reaped, weighed and examined analytically in April, 

 the results obtained being of some interest and impor- 

 tance. Samples of soil have been taken from the 

 variously manured plots, and analytical examinations 

 are being carried out on them with the view of ascer- 

 taining whether any, and if any, what changes capable 

 of being detected by analytical examination have taken 

 place in the soils of the plots during the exjieriments 

 conducted continuously on them since 1891. 



The southern half of the manurial ex]ieriment field 

 has been re-arranged and planted with certain seedling 

 varieties with the object of testing their nitrogen 

 requirements : the counse of experiments with ])hos- 

 phoric acid and potash started in 1901 having been 

 carried to comj)letion. 



A very careful selection has been made from the 

 enormous number of seedlings raised from selected 

 parent varieties in 1901 and 4,500 have been planted 

 out. Large numbers of the seedlings of selected 

 parentage have been distributed to certain managers 

 of sugar estates who have expressed their desire to 

 assist in this portion of the work. 



On the whole, I am satisfied that the sugar 

 experiment fields are now in a far more satisfactory 

 state of cultivation than has hitherto been po.ssiblo. 

 Very great assistance has been given to me by the 

 technical members of the Sugar-cane Experiments' 

 Committee of the Board of Agriculture, and I am 

 convinced that the appointment of an advisory com- 

 mittee, the members of which arc acknowledged 

 authorities in practical cane cultivation, in connexion 

 with the experiments is a step in the right direction, 

 and one that cannot fail to be of advantage not 

 alone to the experiments but to the sugar industry 

 of the Colony at large. I only regret that this step 

 was not taken at the initiation of the extension of 

 the experiments in 1890. 



In adtlition to the various investigations which 

 are being carried on in the Government Laboratory, I 

 have devoted much time to the ])repai-ation of the 

 report dealing with the experiment agricultural work 

 carried on during the erojj years 1897-1901 inclusive. 



This is now in an advanced stage of preparation 

 and I hojie to have it ready for presentation in the 

 course of a few weeks. 



The total expenditure on the experiments fir the 

 year 1901-02 has been i?2,301. 



In bringing this progress report to a close, I desire 

 to acknowledge, and to direct attention to, the consistent 

 energy, zeal and attention which Mr. R. Ward, Agri- 

 cultural A.ssistant-in-charge of Sugar-cane Exjjeriments 

 has devoted to his work anfl which, in my opinion, 

 cannot fail in the near future to render the experiments 

 a credit not only to the Board of Agriculture but to 

 the Colony at large. 



