Vol. X. No. 252. 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



403 



SOGAR-CANE EXPERIMENTS IN 

 ANTIGUA. 



The following information concerning the experiments 

 with seedling canes that have been conducted in Antigua by 

 the Department of Agriculture in 1910-llj Ijas l^een taken 

 from details supplied by Mr. H A. Tempany, B.Sc, Super- 

 intendent of Agriculture for the Leeward Islands, of an 

 address delivered by him at a meeting of the Antigua 

 Agricultural Society held on November 3, 191L 



After introducing the subject, Mr. Tempany drew 

 attention to the fact that the experiments had now been 

 repeated twelve times under identical conditions of working. 

 The canes lor the observations were grown at nine stations, 

 namely, Cassada Garden, Bendals, Blubber Valley, Tomlin- 

 sons, Ffryes, Big Duers, Thibou.s, the Diamond, and Friar's 

 Hill. They are planted in rows across the field, each row 

 containing a variety; they receive the same treatment as the 

 canes being grown for the crop, so that the experimental 

 results are directly comparable with those of the latter. 

 The rainfall was unfavourable, as .serious drought had 

 been experienced during the earlier part of the year, so that 

 both plants and ratoons had yielded poor returns, and the 

 effects of the root fungus had been increased. It was of 

 interest to mention, in passing, that the total output of sugar 

 from the island for the period was 13, GOO tons, compri.-ing 

 6,500 tons of crystals and 7,100 tons of muscovado sugar. 



The list of varieties under experiment contained forty- 

 one, and was almost identical with that of the previous year. 

 The best results among plant canes had been given by 

 B.4596, Sealy Seedling, D. Ill 1, B \5-2i^, B.306, D.62.5, 

 B.208, B.156, B.376, B. 135.5, D.109, B.6346, B.6150 

 and B.-1507. As with the general crop, the yields 

 had not been large; that from White Transparent, the 

 standard cane, had been exceeded by the returns from 

 sixteen varieties. The cane giving the best result — B 459G 

 had produced 5,380 lb. of sucrose to the acre; its con- 

 sistently good behaviour during the short period of its tests 

 in Antigua caused the speaker to recommend it to planters, 

 for trial. The second place was taken by the well-tried 

 cane Sealy Seedling, with a yield of 5,330 It).; while D 1111 

 came third with 5,060 Bx, and this cane a[)|ieared to be 

 gradually adapting itself to local conditions. Another promis- 

 ing cane was B. 1528, the fourth on the list, with a yield of 

 4,950 tt). of sucrose to the acre. 



The following table indicates the best yields: — 



Means for 1910-11. 



Name of cane. 



B.4596 



Sealy Seedling 



D.llll 



B.1528 



B.30G 



D.625 



B.208 



B.156 



B.376 



B.1355 



D.109 



B.6346 



B6450 



B.4507 



B393 



B.3675 



White Transparent 



B.3696 



Sucrose, 

 B). per acre. 

 5,380 

 .5,330 

 .5,060 

 4,950 

 4,910 

 4,880 

 4.800 

 4,790 

 4,760 

 4,680 

 4,650 

 4,600 

 4,540 

 4,440 

 4,400 

 4,400 

 4,380 

 4,300 



Means for past four years. 

 Name of cane. Sucrose, 



lb. per acre. 



B.4596 6,280 



Sealy Seedling 6,010 



D.625 5,560 



B.156 5.310 



B.20S 5,090 



B.1528 5,070 



D.llll 5,060 



D.IO'J ■ 4,980 



B.1355 4,980 



B306 4,970 



B.1753 4,910 



B.376 4,910 



B.3696 4,890 



D.848 4,880 

 White Transparent 4,770 



B.393 4,750 



B.6346 4,600 



D.116 4,.570 



When the results were compared, according to the method 

 introduced by Dr. F. Watts, CI.M.G., it was found that the 

 upper third of the returns included the different varieties as 

 follows: B.4596, B.1528, and Sealy Seedhng at eight stations; 

 B306, B.208, D.109, B.6450, and D.625 at five stations; 

 D.1452, B.6346, B.4507, and B.1753 at four sUtions; White 

 Transparent, B.147, B.3696, B.3675, and D.848 at three 

 stations. 



Among ratoon canes, B.4596 again occupied the first 

 place, with 3,750 lb. of sucrose per acre; satisfactory posi- 

 tions were also occupied by B.208, B.156, and B.1528. 

 D.llll was twelfth on the list, and again is improving its 

 position, so that this forms another reason for the suggestion 

 that it is undergoing adaptation to local conditions. 



The method for comparison of behaviour at difftrent 

 stations, just employed for plant canes, showed that the follow, 

 ing had been included in the upper third of the returns: 

 B.156 at .six stations; B 376, B 109, B.1528 and B.3696 

 at five stations; B 4596, D.116, Sealy Seedling and B.208 

 at four stations. 



The following table gives the returns from the fir.-.t 

 eighteen ratoon canes, for the year under review, as well as 

 the avcriiges for the past three years: — 



Means for 

 Name of cane. 



B.4596 



B.208 



B.156 



D.1184 



B.152H 



B..37G 



B.109 



D.109 



B.3696 



Sealy Seedling 



B306 



D.llll 



D 3157 



B.1753 



D.1.30 



D.G25 



D.95 



D848 



191011. 



Sucrose, 

 lb. per acre. 

 3,750 

 3,5.50 

 3,310 

 3,230 

 3,170 

 3,120 

 3,090 

 3,080 

 2,990 

 2,950 

 2,830 

 2,790 

 2,780 

 2,750 

 2,740 

 2,720 

 2,710 

 2,630 



Means for past tl 

 Name of cane. 



B.4596 



B.1528 



D.109 



B.15G 



B109 



B.376 



B.369G 



Sealy Seedling 



B.1753 



B.306 



B.147 



D.116 



B.208 



D.2190 



D.625 



D95 



White Transparent 



D.145* 



iree years. 

 Sucrose, 



ft), per acre. 

 3,620 

 3,450 

 3,480 

 3,320 

 3,140 

 3,080 

 3,040 

 3,020 

 3,020 

 2,950 

 2,920 

 2,840 

 2,830 

 2,820 

 2,720 

 2,640 

 2,540 

 2,520 



Small yields had been obtained from ratoon canes in all 

 cases; although these were greater than those of the previous 

 year, in spite of the fact that the rainfall had been more 

 favourable in that year. Mr. Tempany suggested, as an 

 explanation of the circumstance, that the results may be due 

 partly to the fact that the rainfall received by the canes as 

 plants appeared to affect to a marked extent their yields as 

 first ratoons. 



The adverse effect during 1909-10 was due to 

 the small rainfall of 1908-9; and this had made itself 

 felt notwithstanding the fact that the rainfall of 1909-10 

 was much more favourable, and had produced a good growtk 

 of plant canes. 



In concluding his address, Mr. Tempany thanked the 

 owners, attorneys and managers of estates on which the 

 trials had been conducted for the active way in which 

 they had afforded assistance to the Agricultural Department 

 in carrying out successfully, once more, the sugar-cane 

 experiments. 



