135 



450,000 tons. Ill 1805 tlie export of Freucli raw sugars was valued at 

 8,000,000 francs; in 1860, 10,000,000 francs; in 1872, 47,000,000 francs. 

 The export of refined sugars rose from 68,000,000 francs in 1869 to 

 105,000,000 in 1872; 108,000,000 in 1873; and 130,000,000 during the 

 first eleven months of 1874. 



Money-value of a&ricultural statistics. — Mr. G. W. Hunt, 

 corresponding secretary of the agricultural society in Marion County, 

 Oregon, states that the farmers in that section are accustomed to turn 

 the statistics of this Department to profitable account ; that is, they are 

 largely influenced by them in deciding what crops and otlier farm- 

 products to raise for market. As a rule, the result proves the basis of 

 calculation a safe one. By way of illustration, he instances that when 

 our first of January statistics indicate a jirospective decrease in pork 

 raised on the Atlantic slope, they take the hint and feed every shoat 

 and pig they can muster. This hint has been acted on for several years 

 with success. 



Cultivation of sugar-cane in India. — In the Shahjah-anpur dis- 

 trict 41,584 acres, being about 6 per cent, of all the laud under cultiva- 

 tion in the district, are reported as planted with sugar-cane. The cul- 

 ture is mainly confined to the central and northern parts. In upland 

 cultivation the laud receives from five to fifty plowings, the number 

 varying according to the circumstances and the resources of the culti- 

 vator. In estimating expenses, twenty i^lowings are assumed, costing 8 

 rupees per acre. The fertilizer used is from heaps collected outside of 

 each village, the main ingredient being ashes. The quantity varies 

 according to the efficiency of the planter in gathering it rather than 

 the requirements of the crop. The ordinary limits are 5 to 8 tons per 

 acre, and the average cost per acre about 1 rupee 8 annas. It is some- 

 times applied after planting and worked in when hoeing. On the ground 

 of economy, the top portion of the cane alone is used for planting, since 

 that is immature and contains very little juice. As each cultivator 

 saves his own seed its value is not estimated in the cost of cultivation. 

 These seed-canes are cut about one foot in length. In planting, a man fol- 

 lows the plow and places them lengthways along the furrow at intervals 

 of about a foot. The distance between rows is not given. The cost of 

 planting is put at 1 rupee per acre. Irrigation is seldom required be- 

 fore i^lanting. The number of subsequent waterings depends on the 

 season and the means of the planter ; the extremes being 1 and 3, the 

 average may be placed at 2, of which the cost, including wear and tear 

 of machinery, is estimated at 9 rupees 7 annas per acre. The cane is 

 hoed about three times before irrigation and once or twice after each 

 watering ; in all 6 or 7 times, the average cost being 5 rupees 8 annas. 

 The growing canes are usually, though not invariably, tied up. Stalks 

 from the same stool, or those from two or three adjoining stools, are 

 tied together; cost, 8 annas. The cane is cut close to the ground, and 

 at the same time the leaves and arrows cut off and also the top pieces 

 for seed. The cutters are always |)aid in kind, receiving the arrows 

 (used as feed for cattle) and five canes per day. As the part which 

 goes to the cutter is not taken into account in estimating the product, 

 no allowance is made for expense in cutting. The average cost per acre 

 of carting the product to the cane-mill is 2 rupees 8 annas, and the an- 

 nual rent of land per acre, 15 rupees ; total cost of the product of an 

 acre at the mill, 43 rupees 7 annas. As the value of a rupee is about 

 46 cents, 43y'p would be just about S20. 



In the river-valleys manure is seldom used and irrigation not needed. 



