y62 



EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



cent arter irriiratiiiK- For 2 ft. in depth the corresponding figures were 29.(i7 and 

 31.90 per eent, and for .'-5 ft., 38.61 and 34.86 per cent, respectively. 



Data obtained in experiments on saline irrigation are given, and some (jf the results 

 are presented in the following table: 



Irrigation experiments with salt water. 



These results indicate that excessive quantities of salt in irrigation water reduce the 

 yield and lessen the availability. The juices showed a material, though dispropor- 

 tionate, increase in chlorin as the salt was increased. 



In the stripping experiments reported, one plat was stripped in June, 1901, one in 

 March and October, 1902, and another in March, August, and November, 1902. The 

 results are summarized in the following table: 



Results of strljyping experiments. 



Number of strippings. 



Purity. 



None 



1 



2 



3 



Per ct. 

 92.87 

 91.43 

 92. 06 

 91.57 



These results, however, are not as yet considered conclusive or generally applicable 

 and the experiments will be continued. 



A preliminary report on 21 varieties of cane shows a wide divergence in quality 

 and yield. The density of the juice varied from 20.47 to 14.20° Brix, the sucrose 

 from 19.15 to 11.3 per cent, the glucose from 1.58 to 0.169 per cent, and the purity 

 from 93.32 to 79.57. In productiveness, Demarara No. 117 headed the list with a 

 yield of 333,670 lbs. of cane and 43,010 lbs. of sugar per acre; and Badilla, a New 

 Guinea variety, stood last with a yield of 43,560 lbs. of cane and 7,466 lbs. of sugar. 

 Bud variation in Big Ribbon cane is used for the production of new varieties, but the 

 results in their present state are as yet inconclusive. The character of cane from 

 seed cane of normal Big Riblwn and several of its sports is briefly described. 



The results with fertilizer experiments in which the essential plant food elements 

 are furnished in different c(jmbinations at the rate of 100 lbs. per acre are reported 

 in exhaustive tables. These experiments are as yet incomplete, and no conclusions 

 have been reached. 



In a second fertilizer experiment, begun in June, 1901, nitrogen, phosphoric acid, 

 and potash were each applied at the rate of 150 lbs. per acre. The test was made 

 with Lahaina and Rose Bamboo cane harvested in April, 1903. Both varieties pro- 

 duced the most cane from nitrogen and i^hosphoric acid with potash omitted. This 

 plat also gave the highest yield of sugar with Lahaina, while with Rose Bamboo the 

 plat receiving the three elements owing to a superior quality of juice gave the best 

 yield. Lahaina responded l)etter to high fertilization than Rose Bamboo, the great- 

 est gain in sugar w'ith Lahaina being 6,053 lbs. and with Rose Band)oo only 900 lbs. 

 The gains from fertilization in the solid matter of the cane ranged from 3,367 to 

 12,488 lbs. with Lahaina and from 678 to 1, 973 lbs. with Rose Bamboo. The gain 



