T II E CUBA R E V I B W 



29 



THE SUGAR INDUSTRY 



MOSAIC DISEASE IN CUBA 



A matter of unusual interest and Im- 

 portance to the sugar planters and one 

 which may seriously affecl Cuba's future 

 production has been the delinite announce- 

 menl <>n the pari of Investigators that the 

 "mosaic" disease of the cane, now so 

 prevalent in Porto Rico, is present in 

 Cuba, it having been found at Central 

 Soledad, near Cienfuegos. and also at the 

 experiment station at Santiago de las 

 Vegas. Its presence at Soledad has been 

 suspected for a considerable period, but 

 its effects have not been fell severely, so 

 no attempt was made to investigate it 

 until recently. Upon its discovery at the 

 experiment station, all diseased canes and 

 canes close by which might possibly have 

 become contaminated, were dug up and 

 destroyed. 



From a description of this disease ob- 

 tained from one of the agricultural au- 

 thorities of Porto Rico, Prof. F. S. Earle, 

 now employed by the sugar interests of 

 that island, it is understood that the 

 symptoms are a change from the usual 

 green color of the leaf of the cane to a 

 mottled color caused by loss of the green 

 matter, resulting in a striking appearance 

 noticeable even at a distance. As the 

 disease continues its course, the joints of 

 the canes begin to dry up and to crack, 

 presenting every appearance of frost bite 

 or of canes cut down and allowed to lie 

 in the field tilt dry. 



The strength of the cane stool and its 

 producing powers gradually weaken, and 

 the sugar content and juice content of the 

 cane become continually less, until in tin- 

 second or third year what cane is pro- 

 duced by the fields is practically value- 

 less. It is reported that the sugar pro- 

 duction of some of Porto Rico's mills has 

 been reduced as much as 50 per cent. by 

 this disease. Fortunately, however, the 

 soil in which diseased canes have grown 

 does not seem to become contaminated, 

 and the disease can be destroyed by tak- 

 ing up the affected canes and allowing 

 them to be dried thoroughly by the sun. 



To date no one knows either the cause 



of the disease or the method by which 

 it spreads. In some years it is apparently 

 very benign in its effect, and almost no 

 tendency to spread is shown, but in other 

 years it spreads with greal rapidity, often 

 appearing in locations four or live miles 

 away from other previously affected areas. 

 Publicity Is being given the matter in 

 Cuba, and it is expected that Congress 

 will be asked to grant an appropriation 

 to the Departmenl of Vegetable Sanita- 

 tion, with which to carry out a thorough 

 inspection of the island and take the 

 necessary action to stamp oul the disease 

 wherever found. — Facts About Sugar. 



WEIGHT OF SUGAR SACKS 



A new problem has presented itself to 

 sugar planters. Hitherto the standard 

 Cuban sack of sugar has weighed 3 :! ar- 

 robas (325 lbs.). For the handling of 

 these sacks the charge is ten cents each 

 sack. 



According to the Havana Post a com- 

 munication has been received from the 

 London Sugar Association to the effect 

 that unless this standard weight can be 

 reduced to that of eight arrobas (200 

 lbs.) in order to satisfy the British steve- 

 dores who complain of the sack weighing 

 too much for easy handling, they will be 

 obliged to stop the purchase of Cuban 

 sugar. 



The association quotes Java as putting 

 up their sacks at 200 pounds each. 



French importers have also demanded 

 that the weight of a sack of sugar be re- 

 duced to 200 pounds. 



BILL PROPOSING CONTROL OF NEXT 

 CUBAN SUGAR CROP 

 A bill has been introduced in the Cuban 

 Congress, looking to the control of the 

 exportation <<( sugar of the next crop with 

 the object of maintaining or increasing 

 the price. 



