Vol. XIII. No. 310. 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



'83 



emphasis may be given to the pos.sibilities before the 

 utilization of molasses for the production of fuel alcohol. 



Having referred to the systematic cultivation 

 of crops for alcohol production, it would be an omission 

 to neglect the chemical aspect of the subject. It has 

 been said that it would be a wrong course to use the 

 land for the production of raw materials for alcohol- 

 making, for fear that humanity might thereby be 

 deprived of food and clothing. There is something to 

 be said in favour of this contention, particularly in 

 connexion with certain districts; but in the pro- 

 duction of crops for alcohol-making the soil need 

 not be depleted unduly, for the losiduals contain- 

 ing essential mineral elements of plant and animal 

 food can be replaced. It is more a question of 

 occupation than exhaustion, and if it will pay to 

 grow crops for alcohol-making it may be done with- 

 out any undue violation of chemical ethics. As we 

 have said, the most promising lines of activity lie 

 in the direction of the utilization of by-products; and 

 when the demand for motor tyres begins to wane 

 from the want of petrol to drive them round, then 

 the sugar-growing colonies to some extent those produc- 

 ing other tropical produce, may be able to help a sister 

 industry by producing alcohol for fuel. In doing so 

 they will also confer a great benefit on the general 

 public, and incidentally make a profit out of valuable 

 material which is now, to a large extent, being wasted. 



SUGAR INDUSTRY. 



EFFECT OF MANURES ON THE TIME 

 OF RIPENING OF SUGAR-CANES. 



A considerable amount of work has been done in 

 differerit places on the influence of manures on the 

 compfiMtion of sugarcane, but it does not seem to have 

 been established that even excessive manuring aflects in- 

 juriously the quality or quantity of the juice. In Hawaii, 

 for instance, extremely large dressings of manure are used 

 without apparently any harmful effect upon the productivity 

 of the crop. In the Leeward Islands it has been shown that 

 manures exert their influence chiefly in increasing the weight 

 of cane per acre. No profound alteration in the weight of 

 sucrose to the ton of cane was demonstrated. From experi- 

 ments in general, and from those under ponsideration in 

 particular, it would appear that any harmful effect resulting 

 from excessive dressings lies principally in a delay in the 

 time of the maturity of the crop. 



In order to observe the eft'ect of manures, applied as 

 top dressings to the cane at its most active periods of growth, 

 a series of experiments were laid down at .labour, India, for 

 the season 191 2- 1 3, and the results obtained are summarized 

 in the following paragraphs. 



It was found, first of all, that the addition of super- 

 phosphate had little or no effect upon the date of maturity 

 of the crop. On the other hand a dressing of sulphate of 



ammonia delayed the ripening of the cane for about half 

 a month, but the ultimate sugar content of the juice was 

 not atfected It has sometimes been stated that the addition 

 of sulphate of ammonia will increase the juice extraction to 

 a considerable extent. Thi^ assumption was not substan- 

 tiated by the experiments under review. 



In conclusion it would appear that a top dressing of 

 manure seems to weaken the juice of the sugar-cane at the 

 beginning stages of coming to maturity, and delays its actual 

 ripening for about a fortnight, but it is only a delay, and 

 not a prevention of ripening, as in the case examined, the 

 treated plots appear to have given juice of almost the same 

 richness as the blank plots, the only differenre being that 

 the stage of maximum maturity was reached a fortnight 

 earlier in the case of the plots which did not receive a top 

 dressing. 



Further details concerning these experiments n'aj- be 

 obtained by reference to Bulletin No. 37, Agricultural 

 liesearch Institute, Pnsa. 



SELECTION AND TREATMENT OF 

 CANE CUTTINGS. 



Some practical advice and recommendations are given 

 to planters by Mr. J. R. Johnston in Bulletin No. 6 of the 

 Experiment Station of the Sugar Producers' Association of 

 Porto Rico, in regard to the selection and treatment of plant- 

 ing material. Many of the points advocated have already from 

 time to time been called attention to by this Department, 

 but in view of the importance of the various points dealt 

 with there would seem to be no harm in reiterating several 

 of the statements. 



Where possible several difterent varieties of cane should 

 be grown on the same estate, and those which prove to be 

 the best should be grown especially for 'seed" with which tc 

 supply the plantation. Both immature and mature cane 

 furnish good 'seed', but top 'seed" is better than body 'seed', 

 other things being equal. Cuttings from healthy c-ine 

 only should be used: especial care should be taken to avoid 

 seed from cane affected by the different common diseases. 



The average germination of good seed in good seed- 

 lings ranges around 50 per cent, of the eyes. In both wet 

 and dry season.s it is much lower. According to this author- 

 ity, the presence of diseased leaf sheaths on 'seed' does not 

 affect germination nor subsequent growth. The sheath 

 should be removed when ( 1 ) mealy bugs are present, and 

 (2) when the 'seed' is to be treated. The chief advantage 

 in using disinfectants is obtained when infected seed is 

 being used or when good seed is being planted under 

 poor conditions. In these cases the employment of disin- 

 fectants improves the germination. Treatment of seed tc 

 prevent rapid evaporation, and to hasten germination may 

 be desirable but sufficient data is not yet at hand on whicb 

 to base recommendations. 



In several quarters of late, the introduction of horse 

 and cattle breeding as a side line on tropical plantations has 

 been advocated. As noted on another page in this issue, 

 one author thinks that horse breeding might be profitable 

 and certainly of great Imperial benefit, if carried on in 

 connexion with coco-nut cultivation. In the Louisiana 

 Planter (February 21) an account of a discussion is given 

 following a paper that was read before the Louisiana Sugar 

 Planter's Association on the subject of cattle as a side line 

 on the sugar plantation. 



