SECTION X. — METHODS OF C;0XTI10L. 135 



In Trinidad until recent yeai-s canes were grown on land as long as 

 possible and then the land was abandoned and allowed to grow up in 

 grass or bush without interference. This is an inefficient form of 

 rotation and as an indication of the uncertainty of its effect it may be 

 mentioned that some estates put down their freedom from blight to the 

 large area of abandoned land, w^hile others attribute it to their having 

 no abandoned land whatever. The apparent contradiction is largely 

 explained by the type of the soil that is abandoned. 



In other countries where sugar-cane is grown, rotation cycles have 

 been practised for many years. Thus in Java where lands can be 

 irrigated one rotation in use is between cane and rice. 



Months— J. F. M. A. M. J. Jy. A. S. O. N.. D. 



1st Year ll < Plant Canes 



2nd Year... Plant canes > < Ratoon... 



3rd Year. ..Canes > < Rice 



4th Year. ..Rice, second growth > < Rice... 



,...> I j Canes again. 



Another rotation in the same country is as follows, introducing a 

 greater variety of crops, but only a single cutting of canes. 



Months— J. F. M. A. M. J. Jy. A. S. 0. N. D. 



1st Year |1 < Cane 



2nd Year > <Beans or Maize> 



3rd Year... <Rice....> ... <.. Fallow, Beans or Indigo > 



<Rice > liCanes again. 



In Louisiana a crop of cow peas or maize or both is grown after two 

 or three cuttings of cane. 



In Barbados two systems are in vogue on land that will not produce 

 ratoon crops, known respectively as " Halving " or " Thirding." 



In the former, half the area under cane is cut each year. 



Months- J. F. M. A. M. J. Ty. A. S. O. N. D. 



1st Year II < ..Plant 



2nd Year.., Canes • 



.. > <Corn crop orfallow...> ||Canes again. 



In the second system used on the poorer soils, only one-third of the 

 land is cut each year and there is a break of eighteen months between 

 each cane crop. 



Months— J. F. M. A. M. J. Jy. A. S. 0. N. D. 



1st Year II < 



2nd Year Plant canes 



3rd Year > < Cotton, Cassava 



Corn or Sweet potatoes > ICane again. 



Trinidad will be forced in the near future to adopt some system of 

 rotation to a much greater extent than at present. 



