Vol. VIII. Xo. 176. 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



19 



SUGAR INDUSTRY. 



Sugar-cane Experiments at Barbados. 



Some further details of the experiments with 

 seedling and other canes, as well as of nianurial experi- 

 ments with sugar-cane, carried out at Barbados in the 

 season 1906-8, under the direction of the Imperial 

 Department of Agriculture, are given below, in order 

 to complete the particulars contained in the last issue 

 of the Agricultiirid News: — 



In addition to the smaller plots, on wliicli the seedlinij; 

 canes are first tested, the plan has been adopted, with the 

 co-operation of estate owners, of growing some of tlie more 

 promising varieties, on areas of from -J-acre upwards, under 

 ordinary estate conditions. In this way a number of different 

 varieties can be raised in the .same field, and the plot.s are 

 large enough for the canes produced to be separately crushed 

 at the estate mill, the juice being measured and analysed. 

 Data is thus available for ascertaining the sugar yield and 

 other (pialities of a given cane, when grown under practical 

 conditions. 



In the year 1907-8, opportiuiities have been afforded on 

 a number of estates, of comparing the yields of some of the 

 best known seedling varieties with tlie White Transparent on 

 areas varying in extent from i-acre to 7 acres. The average 

 results in the case of some of these varieties have been as 

 follows : — 



The returns given by B. 208 and B. 376 are especially 

 satisfactory, and account for the increasing popularity of 

 these seedlings at Barbados. 



In that portion of the report on these experiments 

 dealing with tlie production of new seedlings, it is mentioned 

 that of the 219 seedling canes planted for the first time in 

 1906, twenty-two passed the standard as regards their field 

 cjiaracters and the richness and purity of the juice. They were 

 replanted in 1907, and will also be again grown and tested 

 in the present season. 



At the end of 1907, no less than 6,G90 new .seedlings 

 were obtained, of which twelve were the result of artificial 

 hybridization. About two-thirds of the above seedlings were 

 transplanted in the field, and will be tested in the reaping 

 .season of 1909. 



In 1902, fourteen sepdlings w-ere obtained from B.208 

 and D.95, planted in chess-board fashion. On the crop 



returns of the jia.'it tW(.) seasons from the small experiment 

 plots, the yields given by five of these (B. 8,660, B. 8,600, 

 ]'., 8,651, B. 8,520, and B. 8,609, in the order mentioned) 

 have exceeded the return from AMiite Transparent. 



Manurial experiments with sugar-cane were carried 

 out during the season at Dodds Botanic Station, and on 

 five sugar estates situated in different parts of the 

 island. With one exception — Hopewell — all the 

 estates are in the black-soil districts. At Dodds 

 plantation the manurial trials have been in progress 

 for eight successive years in Lower Bay Tree field, an<l 

 for seven. succe.ssive years in Summervale field, and 

 during each season, the same manure in kind and 

 amount, has been applied to each plot. From the 

 results obtained in the manurial experiments, over 

 a period of thirteen seasons, the following general 

 conclusions have been drawn, as regards the effect of 

 manuring on the yield of sugar from plant canes, under 

 the conditions of soil, rainfall, and agricultural treat- 

 ment existing at Dodds: — 



1. The application of nitrogen in the form either of 

 sulphate of ammonia, nitrate of soda, or di-ied blood leads to 

 large and jirofitable increases of yield. 



2. Sulphate of ammonia is superior to nitrate of soda. 



3. Under some circumstances (a very heavy clay soil ?) 

 organic forms of nitrogen, like dried blood, persistently 

 applied, may equal sulphate of annnonia. 



4. The most favourable application of nitrogen is 40 to 

 60 lb., equal to about 200 to 300 R). of sulphate of ammonia. 

 In some cases this may best be applied all in June, in others 

 it had best be applied partly in .lanuary and partly in June. 



5. Application of superphosphate appears to diminish 

 the yield of sugar. It is po.ssible that this may be due to 

 a premature ripening of the cane whereby the period of 

 growth is diminished. Or it may be due to a prejudicial effect 

 upon the nitrogenous materials of the farmyard manure, 

 caused indirectly through the organisms of nitrification and 

 denitrification. The latter eileet might be removed by 

 applying the phu^^phate at a ditierent time. 



6. The increase of yield in two recent seasons produced 

 by the application of superphosphate requires further experi- 

 ment. It may be due to the beginning of exhaustion of 

 phosphate in the no-phosphate plot. It may, however, be acci- 

 dental and due to causes not connected with the applica- 

 tion of phosphate. 



7. Where basic slag has proiluced increase of yield, it 

 appears probable that it may be due rather to the presence 

 of the lime in the slag than to the presence of phos- 

 l)hate, in which ca.se it might be replaced by an application 

 of slaked lime. 



8. The apiilication of potash leads to profitable increase 

 iif yield, and 60 lb. of potash (contained in 120 lb. of 

 sulphate of potash) applied all in January, or partly in 

 January and partly in June, give the best results. 



DEPARTMENT NEWS. 



Mi-. AUeyne (!. Howell, Chief Clerk at the Head 

 Office of the Imperial Department of Agriculture, 

 Barbados, returned from England by the R.M.S. ' Xile, , 

 on January 18 last, after six months' leave of absence, 



