Vol. XVIII. No. 443. 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS, 



115 



appears never to suffer from the bug's attention. 

 I am strongly inclined to think the reason is that the 

 Abnri cacao is cultivated, and is in a position to keep 

 the sapper at a distance. Thrips of cacao is unques- 

 tionably a sequela of misguided agricultuie.I hope you 

 will not think I am unduly critical when I say that one's 

 mental outlook may be seriously distorted by only 

 a smattering of things entomological and mycological 

 Some men appear to me to think that because they 

 know a bark-sapper or a root fungus, and can put down 

 their names correctly, that nothing more is to be said 

 , than that the trouble has been overcome by Bordeaux 

 mixture, or will probably respond to its application. 



'If I had to map a course for a plant pathologist, 

 I would make a year'.s residence on a farm compulsory, 

 and make physiology, systematic, and applied_(the latter 

 being essentially intensive agriculture ind including 

 soil-physics and meteorology) the chief subject. I 

 would bar microscopes till the last year of the training. 

 Eveiy spare hour should be in the field. Field physi- 

 ology, as opposed to laborator}' physiology studied by 

 means of beakers, tubes, and all sorts of ingenious 

 appliances, is a study that wants developing.' 



The above remarks of Mr. Farquharson bear out 

 the importance of the comparatively new study known 

 as ecology, which has been well defined as the science 

 of organisms as affected by the factors of their environ- 

 ment. This science, especially as applied to plant life, 

 is being more and more studied. The chief aims of 

 ecology are by means of recorded observations to deter- 

 mine the various phenomena observed, and to draw 

 fi-om the data obtained general principles underlying 

 the reaction of plants to their environmental factors. 

 Mr. Farquharson goes on to describe his own experi- 

 ences with regard to this matter, which it is intended 

 to reproduce in another number of this Journal. 



NOTES ON SUGAR-CANE CULTIVATION 

 IN LOUISIANA. 



Tke Loickiana PI inter, March L5, 1919, contains the 

 Report of the Committee on Agricultural Progress of the 

 Louisiana Sugar Planters' Association lor the year 1918. 

 Much of this report is of great interest and importance to 

 sugar planters elsewhere. 



In discussing the question of the maintaince of the 

 fertility of cane soils, the re[)ort states that the use of 

 commercial fertilizer not being as popular as in years gone by, 

 planters generally are using soil-building crops and 

 ploughing them under on lands suitable for cane, while they 

 are using their stiff heavy lands for growing hay. 



With respect to the value of stable manure, the 

 report remarks that great strides have been made in the 



proper handling of manure, as planters everywhere realize 

 that this valuable material is capable of saving them many 

 dollars every year. A great many reports speak of the- 

 storing of manure for .several months before being applied, 

 and then of using a regular spreader — which seems Xu 

 be giving better satisfaction, and is cUint; for fewer 

 repair parts — instead of throwning the manure out at random 

 from a waggon. The construction of stables so that the stock 

 is kept in them, and not allowed to run at large is a most 

 importantitem in this respect. 



With reference to the varieties of cane most suitable for 

 Louisiana conditions, it is concluded that two of the Demerara 

 canes are eminently adapted, but for different situations. 

 The concensus of opinion is so much in favour of D.74, that 

 but little can be said of other varieties. Eighty per cent, of 

 those reporting are growing this variety. D.95 continues to be 

 used on new and reclaimed lands. When this variety of cane 

 was introduced into Louisiana by Dr. W C. Stubbs, he 

 especially recomended it to be planted on such lands. 

 On the other hand, much interest was shown in the new 

 seedlings which have been grown at the Sugar Experiment 

 Station. Requests for seed cane of L.51 1 were unusually heavj-. 

 Plant cane of this variety produced 2.5 tons per acre on a 

 ^-acre plat. 



Among the questions respecting the cultivation of the 

 land, the growth of leguminous crops is naturally a prominent 

 one. Cowpeas are being grown and are being ploughed under 

 more generally, and it is Hkely that the cowpea will soon be 

 used more as a soil-builder than for the purpose of gathering 

 hay. The velvet bean has become a crop in Louisiana. 

 It is being grown on more and more acres, it is being 

 used successfully for hay, and plans for its use as part 

 of a ration for fattening beef cattle are recorded. Some 

 novel ideas are put forward, showing advantageous methods 

 of using velvet beans in conjunction with cowpeas. One is 

 to plant beans in the drill with corn, and later on to sow 

 cowpeas. The cowpea being a more rapid grower, though 

 planted last, covers the ground, keeps down grass, and reaches 

 near maturity before the velvet bean vines cHmb out on the 

 corn stalks. It is claimed that the plan allows two crops of 

 legumes to be grown in one year. Another plan submitted 

 to secure the same results as outlined above, is to sow a peck 

 of velvet beans and five pecks of cowpeas mixed. 



With regard to the care and place of live stock on 

 sugar estates, the report states that the value of live 

 stock in conjunction with sugar-cane has proved itself. 

 This addition to the sugar plantation however, can 

 be an asset in only one way. The raising of hve 

 stock must be handled as a branch of the business; success 

 cannot be made of live stock when handled as a mere side Une. 

 A live stock man must relieve the plantation manager of all 

 responsibility of such stock for at least the harvest season 

 The proper way of stabHng mules is given attenljon, and 

 there are some very suggestive ideas put forwftd. la 

 the matter of housing, the following plan is found to 

 very conducive to securing best results all around. A bara. 

 is constructed with stalls for four mules each on either side ■ 

 of a passageway large enough to allow the handling of 

 wagons. This greatly facilitates the work of the stables and of 

 superintendence, and as the stock are kept in and not 

 allowed to roam over a large pasture, the droppings are well' 

 kept and conserved. There is also an item in time saved when 

 going to work, as the nmles are easily caught, and have water ia 

 these stalls. The idea of putting four males together is 

 got from the use of four mules on many implements and 

 wagons. 



