Vol. X. No. 234. 



THK AGKICULTUIIAL NKWa. 



117: 



CANE SUGAU. By Noel Deerr. Norman Ro&jer, 

 Altrincliam. 



This woik, which virtually forms a new and extended 

 edition of the author's well-known text-book Sugar and the 

 Sugar Cane, consists largely of a judicious compilation of 

 the views and facts put forward by various writers on the 

 many branches necessarily included in so wide a subject. In 

 carrying out the scheme, the author had regard to the older 

 writers, and has referred to their work in a manner that is 

 sufficient to give a clear account in the various sections; but 

 the greater, and perhaps more useful, part consists mainly of 

 a critical survey of the large amount of literature on sugar 

 matters recently issued, and scattered for the greater part 

 through reports and pamphlets, emanating from workers 

 throughout the world. 



The work is divided into twenty-six chapters, the first 

 of which deals with the sugar-cane, its importance and 

 varieties; the soil suited to it; the manner of raising and har- 

 vesting sugar-cane; and the pests and diseases to which it is 

 subject. Following these, is that part of the work treating 

 of the extraction uf the juice by mills and by diffusion, and 

 the manufacture of sugar; while the final chapters have for 

 their subjects the methods of analysis of sugar products and 

 allied methods, the control of the factory, and fermentation 

 and the production of alcohol. 



It will be well to deal with some of the matters in the 

 book, in detail. Chapter V contains an interesting compilation 

 of facts from availalile sources concerning sugar-cane soils; 

 though there is little information regarding the physical 

 composition of these, in spite of the fact that this matter has 

 received considerable attention. Chapter A'l commences with 

 a summary of the published results concerning the manuring 

 of cane in different countries; in regard to Barbados, however, 

 reference is only made to those for 18S.J-9, and the Leeward 

 Islands are not mentioned in the connexion. In relation to 

 the effect of manuring on the sugar-cane, the author appears 

 to agree with Watts and Cousins that the weight of the cane 

 is the only characteristic influenced to any extent; there is, 

 however, no reference to the work of these authorities. The 

 results of the experience of Watts in the Leeward Islands, 

 and of Bouf in Martinique in Ibll, in relation to the time 

 for applying manures to sugar-cane, are supported liy the 

 author's experience. A useful but brief general summary of 

 the nature and use of artificial manures contains a discussion as 

 to whether the ash of the cane forms an index of its manurial 

 requirements; the idea that any such index exists is dismiss- 

 ed, and quotation is made of A. D. Hall's summary of the 

 results of his experience in England. Pages 77 to iiO contain 

 a useful section on the utilization of waste products from 

 sugar factories as manure. < )ther matters in this chapter, to 

 vfhich p3,rticular attention may be drawn, have reference to 

 bacteria in relation to soil conditions, green dressings, 

 rotation, pen manure and irrigation, the last of which 

 naturally occupies a fairly prominent pcisition in view of the 



author's experience in Hawaii. It must be said that the 

 treatment of rotation and the use of pen manure is incom- 

 plete. In regard to the former, there is very scant reference 

 to its bearing on the control of insect and fungus pests, and 

 in the latter, little regard is had to anything beyond condi- 

 tions in Mauritius, the author being doubtless influenced to 

 deal shortly with the matter by his experience in British 

 Guiana. 



The first part of Chapter VII gives a summary of facts 

 regarding the implements of husbandry — matters that are 

 naturally followed by an account of the preparation of land 

 and material for planting; in regard to the last, there is no 

 reference to the treatment of planting material with germi- 

 cides, although the sulyect is noted very shortly on page 155. 

 Trashing cane is discussed in this chapter and the results are 

 recorded of the work of Boname and Eckart, who entertain 

 opposite views in regard to the matter. In Chapter X, atten- 

 tion is given to cane-harvesting; and toward the end in regard 

 to the deterioration of cut cane, an interesting point is raised 

 with respect to the loss in crushing on account; of the increase 

 in fibre in drying, but nothing is said as to the increase of 

 sucrose in the juice. Useful data are given with reference 

 to the loss of water and sugar in cut cane. Chapter XI 

 opens with a concise summary of the evolution of the modern 

 mill. Further on, on page 199, it may be noted, a useful 

 simple empirical formula in connexion with the capacity 

 of mills is given, and this is followed on the next two 

 pages by a good description of mill rollers and of problems 

 connected with the milling of canes. Finally, in this chapter, 

 questions affecting extraction and maceration are dealt with 

 in a most useful manner, a good deal of attention being given 

 to the algebraic treatment of the subject. In relation to 

 sugar manufacture more particularly, attention may be drawn 

 lastly to the accounts of the diffusion process, on page 225, 

 and of clarification on page 211, the latter of which forms 

 the subject of Chapter XIII. 



The pests and diseases of the cane are dealt with in 

 Chapter IX, and as regards insect pests this appears to pres- 

 ent a good summary of the facts, with adequate reference to 

 conditions in the West Indies. Among minor matters it may 

 be noted that the numbers of Figs. 54 and 55 in the 

 plate at the commencement of the book should be trans- 

 posed, and that Fig -19 should be lettered to correspond 

 with the matter on page 129; the sugar-cane frog-hopper 

 of Trinidad is now identified as Tomaspis varia, Fabr.; 

 the cane fly of the West Indies {Delphax saccharivora) is 

 referred to as a spittle insect, although the genus Delphiu: does 

 not contain such forms. Lastlj', the shot borer of the sugar- 

 cane {Xylehorus perforani) is not regarded as a serious pest, 

 in spite of the opinion that its tunnels form a means of 

 entrance for fungi. In regard to plant diseases, it should be 

 stated that Griffon and Maublanc do not consider that 

 Darluca mdasporuvi is identical with Coniothyrium melas- 

 poi'um, nor that Diplodia cacaoicohi has any connexion with 

 either of them; the account of the fungi associated with rind 

 disease is somewhat confused, though the summary of the 

 literature relating to them is good; reference to Griffon and 

 Maublanc's work, and to Alaublanc's summary of Delacroix's 

 notes, would have been useful. Neglecting these matters, 

 a good, clear and fairly complete account of the fungus pests 

 of the sugar-cane has been presented. 



The way in which the work is produced meiits nothing 

 but praise. The type is good; the illustrations contain ade- 

 quate detail without being confused; there is included a most 

 useful appendix of tables; and the index — a part of more than 

 the usual importance in a book of this nature — forms a most 

 trustworthy guide Ijo itjs excellent contents. 



