460 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



The manufacturing data comprise a report on the installation and operation of a 

 sirup factory at Waycross. A detailed description and plan of the factory, including 

 the machinery and apparatus, is given, and the results of the season's work in milling 

 the cane and manufacturing the sirup are reviewed and summarized. Grinding was 

 begun November 3 and finished December 9, the campaign covering 37 days, during 

 which time 11,344 gal. of sirup, with an average density of 15.4° Brix., was produced. 



Changes and improvements in the plant at Waycross are suggested and a report on 

 the inspection of other plants is given. The chemical data include directions for 

 sampling and preserving juices for analysis, methods for sirup examination with 

 directions for the preparation of standard color solutions, and tabulated analyses of 

 sugar cane juices and sirups for 1903 and 1904. 



Manurial experiments with sugar cane in the Leeward Islands, 1903-4, 

 F. Watts et al. {Imp. Dept. Ayr. West Indies, Pamphlet 36, 1905, pp. 48, dgms. 4). — 

 Former results in this series of experiments have been previously reported (E. S. R., 

 16, pp. 44, 45). 



This season the 30 different tests were repeated 10 times with plant canes and 8 

 times with rattoon canes. As in former years, the fertilizers wen ■ applied in varying 

 quantities and different combinations. The guano, potash, and phosphate series did 

 not give remunerative returns. The best results were obtained from the use of either 

 sulphate of ammonia or nitrate of soda alone. The largest gain, which amounted to 

 $8.78 per acre, was obtained from the use of 00 lbs. of nitrogen as nitrate of soda. 

 Nitrogen in the form of sulphate of ammonia stood second, with a financial gain of 

 $7.11 per acre. 



It was further shown that the application of nitrogen all at one time gave better 

 results than when it was divided and applied at 2 different times. The results 

 pointed out in general that 20 tons of barnyard manure per acre without commercial 

 fertilizers is adequate for plant canes and that rattoon canes, in addition to good 

 tillage, require a dressing of from 2.5 to 3.5 cwt. of nitrate of soda or 2 to 3 cwt. of 

 sulphate of ammonia per acre. 



Seedling- and other canes in the Leeward Islands, 1903-4, F. Watts et al. 

 (Imp. Dept. Ayr. West Indie*, Pampldet 33, 1905, pj>. 61). — A summary is given of tests 

 with plant and rattoon canes in Antiguaand St. Kitt'sand of experiments in the chemi- 

 cal selection of sugar canes, the raising of new seedlings, and in the treatment of 

 plant tops and cuttings with germicides before planting. Ordinary cultivation was 

 given in all tests with canes to make the results comparable with common practice. 



In the plant-cane test in Antigua, Sealy Seedling ranked first in the production of 

 sucrose in the juice with 9,914 lbs. ,per acre. Canes B. 156, B. 306, B. 208, and D. 

 95, mentioned in the decreasing order of sucrose production, ranked next to Sealy 

 Seedling. These same varieties also stand among the first 7 in the average results 

 for 3 years. Sealy Seedling and B. 306 ranked high in the rattoon test. 



B. 393 and B. 20S stood first among the plant canes tested in St. Kitt's. White 

 Transparent, Mont Blanc, and B. 306 appeared to be most drought-resistant, while 

 the results with B. 208 indicated the need of a greater rainfall. In the rattoon test 

 for the year 1). 115, B. 306, and B. 208 led in the production of sucrose in the juice, 

 and these same varieties retained the lead in the average results for 3 years, with B. 

 306 ranking first and D. 115 second. 



As a result of using cuttings either high or low in sugar content, there was a gain 

 of about 10 per cent in sucrose in the cane from the high sugar cuttings over those 

 from the low sugar cuttings. Treatment with Bordeaux mixture tended to preserve 

 cane cuttings while in the soil and increased the number of plants grown from cut- 

 tings by 62 per cent. Tarring the ends of the cuttings gave an increase in the num- 

 ber of plants grown of only 34 per cent. 



