Vol. XII. Xo. 291. 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



195 





SUGARCANE EXPERIMENTS IN THE LEE- 

 WARD ISLANDS, 1911-lJ. 



'I"he form of publication introduced during the previous 

 year has been adhered to in issuing the present report. The 

 omission of a large number of tables made it possible to 

 publish Part I and Part 11 together, in the form of a hand- 

 book that should be of convenient size both for distribution 

 and for reference. 



Piirt I of the report describes the results of the continu- 

 ation, during the season 1911-12, of the trials with a large 

 number of Barbados, Demerara and Leeward Islands seedlinc 

 canes. Comparison with previous years' reports will show 

 that three I'.arbados and two Antigua seedlings have this 

 year been introduced into the general series of experiments; 

 these have replaced the number of Demerara seedlings which 

 repeated tests have shown to be unsuited to conditions obtain- 

 ing in the Leeward Islands. As regards the Antigua experi- 

 nients with plant canes, the list is hea-led by B. 3922 with 

 a yield of 6,020 lb. of sucrose per acre This is the first year 

 that the variety has been introduced into the general series 

 of experiments. The experience of the present year will 

 therefore require to be firmly substantiated by subsequent 

 trials. The variety second on the list was B.459(i, which 

 gave an average return per acre of Sj.'J'.IO tt). of sucrose. It 

 yielded an average of 281 tons of cane per acre, and in this 

 respect was superior to all other varieties. The present is 

 the fifth occa-ion on which this cane has been cultivated in 

 these experiments, and it has always occupied a leading 

 position in the returns. It may therefore be confidently 

 recommended. Sealy Seedling, which has also in past 3-ears 

 shown itself suited to the conditions obtaining in Antigua, 

 came third, with a return of 5,260 lb. of sucrose per acre. 

 It is of interest to note further, that the sixth cane was 

 B. 64-50. This variety has given very satisfactory results in 

 Barbados. In regard to ratoons in Antigua, the first two 

 canes on the list were B. 4596 and B. 1528; D. 625 

 dropped considerably in position as a ratoon. 



Turning from the results on seedling varieties in 

 Antigua to the results obtained in St. Kitts, it may be 

 observed first that the list for this island \ as headed by D. 109 

 (plant canes). This variety has for years passed given 

 satisfactory results. In the present series of results it yielded 

 an average return of 6,640 tt). of sucrose per acre and 32 3 

 tons of cane per acre: it gave juice nf average saccharine 

 richness of 184 lb. per gallon. White Transparent came 

 second with a yield of 6,030 lb. of sucrose, and D.I 16 third 

 with 5,810 tt). of sucrose. The fourth variety was B 208. 

 Its juice had an average saccharine ri' hness of 215 lb of 

 sucrose per gallon. The eighth variety was the one that was 

 second in Antigua, namely, B.4596. On the whole, this 

 cane does not appear to be as well suited to St. Kitts con- 

 ditions as to those obtaining in Antigua. In regard to the 

 ratoon canes in the St. Kitts experiments, it is pointed out 

 in the report that in reviewing the resul'..'5 obtained, it .should 

 be borne in mind that the ratoon canes had been reaped only 

 from those stations where moderately f.ivourable weather con- 



ditions had been encountered. B.1753 headed the list, 

 followed by B.208, D.625 and B.4596. 



Following the practice commenced in the previous year, 

 a plot of seedling varieties was reaped experimentally 

 during the year under review, in Nevis. Very unfavourable 

 weather was experienced in this island during the growing 

 season. B.459G headed the list, whilst B.376 and B.147 

 were second and third. It is stated that no great amount of 

 weight should be attached to these results at present. 



One of the most interesting sections of the report 

 under review is that which shows the returns as regards the 

 acreage under the different varieties. In Antigua ,the area 

 under B.147 increased by 1891 acres, whilst that under Sealy 

 Seedling underwent an extension of 616A acres. White 

 Transparent decreased by 1,189 acres. This latter circum- 

 stance is significant, in view of the fact that White Trans- 

 parent is susceptible to root disease, which is very prevalent 

 in some parts of Antigua. Change as regards the acreage 

 under different varieties in St. Kitts is chiefly seen in 

 a decrease for B.208 and B.147 of 285 and 397 acres, 

 respectively. 



Part II of the report concerns manurial exjteriments. 

 These have been pursued in past years concurrently with 

 the testing of varieties. By referring to the discussion and 

 interpretation of the results of the main series of experi- 

 ments which were conducted on first ratoon canes, it 

 will be observed first, that in the phosphate series the 

 results of the present season again bear out previous 

 experience, and show that application of phosphatic manures 

 has, on the average, resulted in decreased yield. The same 

 result also holds true in the potash series, the application 

 of this class of manure having in all cases resulted in a 

 smaller yield Reference to the diagrams on pages 75 

 and 79 will show substantial pecuniary profits in the 

 case of the experiments Nos. 13, 15, 16, 17, 19 and 20. 

 The important fact to bear in mind is that each of these 

 received varying amounts of nitrogen either as nitrate of soda 

 or sulphate of ammonia without potash or phosphate. Nitrate 

 of soda has given better results than sulphate of ammonia. 

 The effect of dividing the dose of nitrogen has been to give 

 a lower yield. The experiments with nitrogen and nitrate of 

 lime, which are described next, have led to the conclusion that 

 both manures produce small increases of yield, nitrate of 

 lime giving better results than nitrolim. On the whole, how- 

 ever, it is considered that nitrolim is not well adapted to the 

 requirements of ratoon canes under conditions obtaining in 

 Antigua and St, Kitts. 



The remaining piges of the publication deal in an 

 interesting manner with general considerations relative 

 to the manuring of sugar canes in the Leeward Islands. 

 It is pointed out that in most cases rainfall must be 

 the chief factor which limits the economic application of 

 manures. Reference is made to the existence of an 

 equilibrium of food-supply in the soil, the maintenance of 

 which should be the ultimate aim of the planter. The discus- 

 sion of these matters may well be given careful consideration 

 by those who are interested directly or indirectly in the 

 management of sugar estates. 



The report concludes with an account of experiments on 

 the value of the cultivation ot ratoon canes, and on molasses 

 as a fertilizer for cane lands. The former investigation led 

 to the conclusion that the cultivation does more good than 

 otherwise; whilst in connexion with the molasses experiment, 

 although an appreciable increase of yield was obtained during 

 the year under review, it is rightly held that no reliable 

 inferences can be drawn from one experiment. 



