Vo:,. XII. No. 300. 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS 



3.39 



I'LANT C.\NE.S. 



Means for each variety grown during the past si.x years. 

 Name. Xo. of plots Pounds per acre No of 



grown, sucrose, in juice, seasons. 



B.4596 has continued to show the very favourable results 

 experienced in former years and is .strongly recommended as 

 a cane .suitable to Antigua conditions. 



Sealy Seedling has also maintained its position very 

 satisfactorily. B.3922, a recently introduced cane, has taken 

 a high position in the table and appears to show great 

 promise, while B.254 and B.6450 have also given favourable 

 results: the latter cane has also attained a considerable 

 reputation in Barbados. 



The mean returns given by the best canes cultivated as 

 ratoons are given below. 



RATOON L'.\NES. 



Means for each variety grown in 1912-13. 



Name. No. of plots Sucrose, lb. per 



grown. acre, in juice. 



1. B.3922 9 3,150 



2. B.1.56 8 2,860 



3. B.4596 9 2,850 



4. Sealy Seedling 8 2,670 

 .5. B.3747 9 2,560 



6. B.254 8 2;51C 



7. B 109 8 2,490 



8. B.1528 7 2,390 

 9 B.6450 9 2,300 



10. B.;47 8 2,280 



11. B.3696 8 2.270 



12. r).95 7 2,150 



13. B.376 8 2,140 



14 D.625 6 2,100 



15 A. 95 7 2,090 

 IG. B.208 8 2,040 



17. B6346 8 2,040 



18. B.306 8 2,000 



19. B.393 7 1,970 



20. D.n6 8 1,910 



In the results for the past year, the lead is taken by 

 B. 3922 followed by B. 156 and B. 4096 while in the means 

 for all seasons, B.4596 easily maintains its supremacy, 

 further enhancing the favourable opinion held concerning it. 



The weather during the growing season was, on the 

 whole, again decidedly unfavourable, and yields in consequence 



have continued below both those from plant canes and first 

 ratoons. 



1!.\IU0N CANES. 



Means for each variety grown during the past five years. 

 Name. No. of plots Pounds j)er acre No. of 



grown, sucrose, in juice, seasons. 



1. B.4596 32 3,3.50 5 



2. H3922 10 3,200 2 



3. B.1528 33 3,110 5 



4. B.156 31 3,110 5 



5. Sealy Seedling 28 2,990 5 



6. B.306 28 2,960 5 



7. B.376 29 2,950 5 



8. B.109 30 2,930 5 



9. 1).109 25 2,910 5 



10. B.3696 31 2,840 5 



11. B.147 22 2,7.50 5 



12. B.208 29 2,680 5 



13. L).95 30 2,640 5 



14. B.6450 14 2,620 3 



15. B.254 9 2,600 2 



16. D.625 28 2,580 5 



17. B.1753 32 2,540 5 



18. B.3747 10 2.530 2 

 19 D.2I90 21 2,520 4 

 20. D.116 30 2,610 5 



In concluding his address Mr. Tempany acknowledged 

 the assistance and co-operation rendered by planters in 

 carrying the experiments to a successful conclusion. 



SYRUP MAKING. 



The subject of syrup manufacture receives attention in 

 several articles appearing in a recent issue of the Louisiaiia 

 Plunter (September 27, 1913), one dissertation on the sub- 

 ject of recent origin, being an account by Professor Taggert 

 concerning this particular branch of the sugar industry in 

 connexion with conditions obtaining in liouisiana. It is 

 pointed out in this article that with free sugar in sight, 

 planters will have to produce a marketable .sugar .>» the 

 plantations or else manufacture table syrup. A description 

 is then given of various details connected with the manufac- 

 ture of syrup, and the necessity for co-operation amongst the 

 smaller planters is pointed out 



From a technical aspect, perhaps the most interesting 

 remarks offered by Professor Taggert are those concerning 

 what may be called the selling properties of syrup. His 

 observations on this subject are as follows: — 



'The market demands that syrup shall have body, colour 

 and flavour. By body is meant density, and whereas a buyer on 

 the exchange with his years of e.xperience can judge this point 

 by pouring a few drops on a piece of paper, that method is 

 as risky for the amateur as the described ladle method. 

 Accuracy can be attained only by using a spindle. Colour 

 is a requirement which often influences the price p'lid for 

 syrup as much as 8 or 10 c. While colour dues not 

 influence the taste or value as food of the produce, the 

 consumer wants an amber colour with a slight green tint. 

 A little opalescence does not depreciate the selling quality, 

 but the .slightest red or reddish-yellow will bring down the 

 .selling price to a minimum. This last requirement, together 

 with flavour, cannot be had successfully without proper 

 clarification. Clarification is without doubt the moat 

 important factor influencing the quality of syrup, and good 

 "larification can only be produced by the use of sulphur 

 and lime.' 



