32 



THE CUBA REVIEW 



The Application of Nitrogen to the 

 Sugar Cane. 



There can be no question that the old 

 system of exhausting the soil by growing 

 cane year after year (and often the same 

 variety of cane) and neglecting to return 

 to the land those plant food constituents 

 which have necessarily been removed in 

 large quantities, has frequently been re- 

 sponsible for poor crops, and a consequent 

 decrease in profits, says the London Trop- 

 ical Life. No soil is rich enough to stand 

 such a system for any length of time, and 

 there is moreover no excuse for it in these 

 enlightened days. 



The main object of the planter is to 

 produce as much sugar as he can from his 

 crop, and success means that his crop will 

 consume a large amount of nitrogen, potash 

 and phosphoric acid, the three main con- 

 stituents of plant food, and their loss must 

 be systematically replaced if soil fertility 

 is to be kept up. As a considerable quantity 

 of both the phosphoric acid and the potash 

 contained in the stripped cane is returned 

 to the soil in the form of bagasse ash, less 

 has to be supplied in artificial form. 



Nitrate of soda and other nitrogenous 

 manures exert a very favorable influence 

 upon the yield of the sugar cane — in fact 

 it has been authoritatively stated* that 

 "Nitrogen is without doubt the manurial 

 constituent, the supply of which governs the 

 yield of the plant." Again the same au- 

 thority states that "The effect of nitro- 

 genous manurings appears to somewhat re- 

 tard the maturation of the canes, and thus 

 the juice of the canes manured with them 

 is, as a rule, not so rich in saccharose as 

 is that of canes grown without manure. 

 But this is more than offset Ijy the larger 

 yields resulting from their application. The 

 increases produced by the nitrogen are 

 principally due to the development of the 

 stalks and not to tops and leaves, or the 

 production of new shoots to the stool." 



Two points must first be considered. (1) 

 The land should be manured early with a 

 suitable complete manure — e. g., farm-yard 

 manure — so that, in the event of a drought 

 in the early part of the year, the young 

 plants may be better able to with stand its 

 effects. (2) In the second portion of the 

 year, when the cane stool has well de- 

 veloped its roots and is in a state of very 

 active growth, a much more soluble and 

 active manure is required than that used 

 at an earlier period, so that the artificial 

 manures should be carefully selected with 

 this object in view. This second manurial 

 dressing should contain a fair amount of 

 potash and phosphoric acid — a larger 

 amount of the former than the latter being 

 applied, unless that has been done in the 

 original complete manure. 



With regard to the nitrogenous manure 

 nothing is so good as nitrate of soda. It 



is immediately "available" by the plants, 

 and is easily applied if mixed with three 

 or four times the amount of dry earth. 

 Far better results will be got by applying 

 it in two or even three dressings of small 

 quantities than in one big dressing. "Little 

 and often" is a good motto in this case, and 

 will more than repay the small cost of 

 extra labor involved. 



With regard to the quantities of nitrate 

 of soda a careful study of the results of 

 manurial experiments on sugar cane leads 

 to the conclusion that from 200 to 300 lbs. 

 per acre is the most profitable amount, and 

 that it should be applied in two or even 

 three dressings. It is well to remember 

 that it is quite easy to allow the soil to get 

 into a "run-down" condition. To keep it in 

 good condition pay attention to these three 

 main points: (1) Careful and thorough 

 preparation of the land; (2) systematic stir- 

 ring of the soil; (3) the judicious use of 

 manures with the object of replacing those 

 elements of plant food of which the soil 

 has been depleted. By these means the fer- 

 maintained and even increased, and worn- 

 tility of already productive land can be 

 out and exhausted land made fertile. 



To show the advantages of adequately sup- 

 plying the canes with the nourishment that 

 they require one has only to turn to any of 

 the following official tables of yields at the 

 various centres where this is done. 



Tons of cane 



per hectare 



(2y2 acres) Per ct. of sugar 



Java, intense culture.. .80 14 to 15.5 



Hawaii, " " 82 15 " 15.5 



Egypt, with irrigation .38.5 11 " 13 



Argentina, " " 40 11 " 12 



Demarara 62 



Louisiana 50 11 " 13 



Cuba 50 13 " 15 



Queensland 46 



Sao Paulo 50 13 " 14.5 



Campos (Rio) 50 14.5 " 15.5 



The Mapos Central Sugar Co. 



The Mapos Central Sugar Company is a 

 concern recently incorporated entirely by 

 Baltimoreans. The headquarters in Balti- 

 more are in the Equitable Building, the 

 following being the officers : Mr. Charles T. 

 Westcott, president; Winfield S. Cahill, vice- 

 president; William H. Evans, secretary and 

 treasurer. Mr. Ormand Hammond is the 

 general manager in Cuba. — Baltimore 

 Star. 



*Newlands. "Sugar," price 25s. (New edi- 

 tion, just published, for Planters and Re- 

 finers.) Pp. 856, with many illustrations. 

 Messrs. Spon and Chamberlain, 123 Liberty 

 Street, New York. 



