1922.] ' SUGAR CANE EXPEBIMENT8 1919-21. 195- 



From the preceding it will be seen that a larger tonnage of canes per 

 acre was obtained for each variety from the plots worked with 

 implements than from canes cultivated by manual labour alone. On 

 the other hand, with the exception of the Badilla, the quality of the 

 juice was slightly better from the plots worked by hand compared with 

 that from the implemental tillage plots, for each variety respectively. 

 This was to be expected as generally, the larger the tonnage of canes the 

 poorer is the quality of the juice. This is well exemplified in the case of 

 T. 75, where the juice from the plot which yielded 35 tons was distinctly 

 inferior to that of the plot giving only 25 tons of canes per acre. 

 If, however, these two * factors viz.: (1) percentage of sucrose in 

 juice and (2) tonnage of canes per acre are combined together there is 

 more indicated sucrose in the juice per acre from the plots worked by 

 implements than from those worked by manual labour alone. The 

 advantage is clearly in favour of implemental tillage, especially when 

 it is remembered that it costs much less. (^-^ 



EXPERIMENT WITH DRAINS AT VARIOUS DISTANCES. 



Another experiment was carried out at the opposite end of this field 

 to ascertain whether it was necessary to continue the usual system of 

 draining the land every 22 feet. The soil in this field and at the 

 Experiment Station generally is a sandy loam and naturally porous. The 

 necessity of having drains 22 feet apart was not very apparent and 

 the following experiment was made. Approximately two and a half 

 acres were ploughed flat and marked off into three sections having 

 frontages of 110, 44 and 66 feet respectively. The land was plough- 

 drilled and planted with cuttings of Badilla at distances of 5 feet by 

 5 feet leaving the space necessary for putting in the usual drain every 

 22 feet in the first section and a 'dividing drain between the 44 and 66 

 feet plots. The plots were similarly treated and the canes reaped and 

 weighed separately on April 28, 1921. 



The following results were obtained : — 



1. Plot with frontage of 110 feet with drains every 22 feet gave 



24'79 tons of canes per acre. 



2. Plot with frontage of 44 feet with drain on either side gave 



27"18 tons of canes per acre. 



3. Plot with frontage of 66 feet with drain on either side gave 



27*83 tons of canes per acre. 



The results indicate that under the conditions at St. Augustine it is 

 unnecessary to have drains every 22 feet or even every 44 feet as the 

 best return was obtained from the plot with the drains 66 feet apart. It 

 should be mentioned, however, that the rainfall for the seven months 

 from June 1 to December 31, 1920 was only 40-19 inches against an 

 average of 47' 14 for the previous three years. This season (1921-22), 

 on the other hand, the rainfall has been unusually heavy and it will be 

 very interesting to see how the yields compare when the canes are 

 reaped as first ratoons. 



NEWLY INTRODUCED AND OTHER VARIETIES. 



Twenty-one varieties were planted in Field 13 in October, 1919, 

 including the most recent introductions from Barbados. The canes were 

 sampled and the juice tested on May 10, 1921, but owing to difficulties in 

 delivering the canes they were only reaped at the end of May and 

 begmning of June being then 19 months of age. 



(1.) Sec Bull. Dept. Aijr. T. & T., XIX. 1920, 19 



