Vol. VIII. No. 195. 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



323 



SUGAR INDUSTRY. 



Cane Variety Experiments in Antigua. 



At a meeting of the Agricultural and Commer- 

 cial Siiciety, Antigua, held on September 10, 1909, 

 Mr. H. A. Tempany gave an acccount of the trials with 

 varieties of sugar-cane that were conducted in that 

 island, during the season 1908-9, by the Imperial 

 Department of Agriculture. 



Mr. Tempany put before the meeting a short summary 

 of the results of the sugarcane experiments conducted by 

 the Imperial Department of Agriculture during the last 

 season. 



The experiments had been laid out under the direction 

 of Dr. Watts, but the work in connexion with the reaping 

 Lad devolved on him. 



The method of planting and the treatment of tlie canes 

 during growth had been the same as in previous years; the 

 canes under experimental cultivation had received the sume 

 care and treatment as the ordinary canes o)i the estate.% and 

 thus the results of the experiments could be directly compared 

 with crop results. The following estates had been used as 

 experiment stations: Cassada Garden, Bendals, Friars Hill, 

 Toralin.sons, Blubber Vallej-, The Diamond, Ffryes, Big 

 Duers and Thibous. 



The rainfall during the year had been deficient and 

 badly distributed, and as a result the crop had suffered 

 considerably, the total output of sugar for the i.sland being 

 about 8,600 tons. The quantity of syrup and molasses 

 exported v.-as somewhat greater than usual, and it was 

 interesting to note that the quantity of grey crystals 

 e.-cceedod the amount of mu.scovado sugar produced. 



With regard to the experiments themselves, in'teadof there 

 being twenty-one varieties of cane in duplicate plots on the 

 various stations, forty-two varieties had been planted in single 

 plots, the total number of plots being the same as in previous 

 years, but the number of different varieties being doubled. 



Taking plant canes first, the following fourteen canes 

 had given the best results: — 



Plants. Sucrose per gallon. Sucrose per acre, 



in pounds. in pounds. 



1, B4,.il9G 1-87 5,800 



•2. D.G2.5 1-85 5,.540 



3. Sealy Seedling 1-97 5,410 



4. D.S4S 2 01 ' .5,140 

 -5. B.;b696 1-86 4,670 



(). b.376 2-06 ' 4,590 



7. B. 1,753 1-Sl 4,460 



8. I).l,452 1-82 4,410 



9. B.156 1-88 4,390 



10. D.116 1-84 4,190 



11. B.1,355 2-06 4,120 



12. D.109 1-93 4,030 



13. B. 1,528 1-95 3,980 



14. B.1,030 203 3,840 

 The results were poor, and considerably below the 



average for the past eight years. It should be noted that 

 eight out of the first fourteen canes are newly introducad 

 varieties, and that .six out of these eight gave exceptionall}' 

 good results during the season 1907-8 . 



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14 



14 



14 



14 



6 



Sealy Seedling, an old favourite, had again given good 

 returns, while B.208 had dropped down to seventeenth on 

 the list, as it did not appear to be able to withstand drought. 



Of the first fourteen, six were canes which had been 

 grown during at least four seasons, and all these had 

 proved their value except D.625. B.4,596 had shown 

 itself to be the best cane of the year, and was recommended 

 as being worthy of careful and extended trial by planters. 



Taking the results on each estate, a method of com- 

 parison introduced by Dr. Watts, it is found that : — 

 B.4,596 stands among the first 14 canes on 9 estates. 



i5-iw53 ,, ,, „ ,, 14 ,, ,, 8 ,, 



B.109 1 

 B.3,696 I 

 D.625 



Sealy Seedling 

 B.376 1 

 B. 1,528/ 

 D.S48 "I 

 D. 1,452 - 

 B.156 J 



B.1,355 stands ,, „ „ 14 „ „ 3 „ 



B.1,030 „ „ „ ■„ 14 „ „ 2 „ 



The yields from ratoon canes bad been especially low last 

 season. D.109 had taken first place, and .seemed to bear 

 out its reputation as a good ratooning and drought resisting 

 cane. B.306 and Sealy Seedling followed next in order. 

 B.208 had dropped to the tenth place, and had again shown 

 inability to withstand drought. White Transparent, it may 

 be noted, had taken a very low place. 



Ratoons. Sucrose per gallon. Sucrose per acre, 



in pounds. in pounds. 



1. D.109 207 • 3,500 



2. B..306 2-17 3,230 



3. Sealy Seedling 1-96 3,040 



4. I).9.5 2-19 2,950 

 .5. B.147 2-06 2,940 



6. B.109 2-04 2,940 



7. B.376 21 1 2,790 



The same method of comparison as for plant canes gives 

 the following results : — 



Sealy Seedling stands among the first 7 canes on 7 estates. 

 1' 308 ,, ,, ,, ,, 7 „ ,, 5 ,, 



B 156 ) 

 D. 116 I 

 D.95 j 



H.109 , ,, „ ,, :„ 7 ,, „ i II 



D.109 I 



Burke \ ^ .^ 



Y^/ji j " " " " ' " >>-"». 



With regard to the newly introduced canes, B.4,596 

 had again come out first, followed by B 1,528, B.3,696 and 

 B. 1,753, an order which corresponded closely with that 

 observed in the case of plant canes. 



iVew Varieties, Sucrose per gallon, Sucrose per acre, 

 Ratoons. in pounds. , in pounds. 



1. B.4,.596 2-00 1,780 



2. B.l,5i8 2-02 ' 4,2.30 



3. B. .3,696 1-88 > 3,720 



4. B. 1,753 1-82 3,080 

 .5. D.790 1-91 2,730 



6. D.132 1-82 ' 2,500 



7. D.1,119 1-82 2,430 



Mr. Tempany concluded his remarks by thanking the 

 planters and estate owners, who had been of great assistance 

 to the Department in enabling it to carry out the sugar-cane 

 experiments for the last year to a siTccessful issue. 



stand 



