82 



TILLERING IN INDIAN SUGARCANES 



Spacing of rows 



Dry loara 



" Stiugge" loam 



At 



Number of Weight of 



canes reaped canes per bouw 



per bouw in pikiils 



( 3' ' 

 Heavy black clay (no ^1 ^i 



control) [^ 5' 



65.089 

 6-2.771 

 f.9,163 



55,13o 

 54,175 



50,3S8 



40,907 

 48.277 

 40,038 



2,070 

 2,056 

 1,978 



2.092 

 2,023 

 1,946 



1,633 

 1,745 

 1,536 



Weight of 



sugar obtained 



per bouw in 



pikuls 



197 

 201 

 199 



210 

 206 

 201 



162 

 181 

 158 



Sucrose per 



cent, in the 



juice 



13-76 

 14 06 

 14 33 



14 40 

 14-58 

 14-81 



14-23 

 14 60 

 14-75 



From this table it is seen that the number of canes harvested decreases 

 re^^ularly with the increased width of the rows ; the total weight of cane varies 

 in the same sense within narrower limits, suggesting that, with wider spacing, 

 the canes are on the average heavier. The quantity of sugar obtained varies 

 irreo"ularly, the advantage in one case being on the side of closer planting ; 

 the sucrose in the juice, however, is interesting, in that there is a uniform rise 

 as the rows are wider apart, and in this respect the aberrant third experiment 

 falls into line, suggesting again that the thicker canes have richer juice. No 

 reference seems to be made b}^ Kilian to this rise in sucrose with wider spacing, 

 but it af^rees with the generalization of Kobus and van der 8tok that, in the 

 same plot, the thicker canes have richer juice. ^ Kilian is perfectly justified 

 in drawing the conclusion that the results do not point to any advantage in 

 alterin*^ the four-foot ro\\'s which appear to be most usual in Java, 



Muller von Czernicki's^ experiments were on a much larger scale, and 

 extended over several years. His work is the most important contribution 

 which we have met with on the effect of spacing on tillering, and the number of 

 canes reaped, and deserves careful study. He had noted great variation in the 

 spacing on difEerent estates, without being able to find any reasoned justifica- 

 tion for the local practices. For himself, on his Poerwodadi estates, it was a 

 matter of considerable importance how many sets were used per acre, as much 

 of the seed had to be imported and was expensive. He accordingly laid down 

 a series of experiments to determine if equally good results could be obtained 

 with a sparser sowing. He also wished to determine the relative tillering 

 power of the difEerent varieties and the time at which the maximum number of 



ij. E. van der St">k. in Friiwii-th'.s Die Ziichtung der Landwirth-schaftllchen KuUur- 

 flanzen, Zuckerrohr. 



2 Muller von Czernicki, C. F. Proefnemiiigeu omtreiit Plantwijdte. Archiefv. d. Suikerind. 

 in Ned. Ind., Vol. XVIII, 1910, p. 314. 



