SUMMARY. 161 



Reduction of Ratooning. Only plant and 1st ratoon canes should 

 be grown on lands which have shown themselves constantly liable to 

 blight, until the soil can be worked up into a batter condition by more 

 frequent cultivation and manuring (p. 184). 



Rotation. This is is one of the most important methods of soil and 

 cultivation improvement, which sooner or later 'Trinidad will be forced 

 to adopt. Sugar countries in other parts of the world have already 

 worked out systems and examples will be found on p. 135. 



As rotation crops pasture, corn, guinea grass, and upland rice have 

 been suggested but, all being OrnminecB, they suffer from similar pests 

 and the froghopper and root disease are not eliminated (p. 136). 



The best rotation crops are Leguiiiinosce of which many have been 

 tried. Bengal beans, cow peas, and sword beans in particular have 

 shown signs of being adapted to use as cover crops (p. 137). 



Among the non-leguminous crops, yams and sweet potatoes are the 

 best, as they ensure good cultivation of the ground and produce a 

 financial return (p. 137). 



On good lands a crop of peas, beans, or sweet potatoes could be 

 grown between the cutting of the canes and replanting later in the same 

 year. 



On poorer lands a crop of yams, or beans followed by sweet potatoes 

 could be grown after the cutting of the crop, and the field replanted as 

 crop plants early the next year. 



On the poorest land a crop of yams or cassava could be grown for 

 the remainder of the year after cutting and a leguminous crop the following 

 year, followed by the cane plants in the fall (p. 138). 



Direct Control. De:-truct%on of Eggs. Removal of the dead leaves 

 from the cane will remove many of the eggs, but the trash so 

 removed must not be left in the fields but should be carried to the pens. 

 The trashing to be of any value as a control must be done when the 

 greatest numbers of eggs are in the trash, which is about ten days 

 after the height of a brood. Neglect of this will render the operation 

 valueless. Trials have shown that there is little if any chance of 

 the survival of eggs in trash carried to the pens and distributed as pen 

 manure some months later (p. 188). 



Weeding has a similar but less important effect and to be of any use 

 must be done at the same period (p. 139). 



Burning destroys a certain proportion of the eggs of the froghopper, 

 but also many of its enemies and much good vegetable matter which 

 would have formed humus. As little burning as possible should be 

 cai'ried out (p. 139). 



Spraymg has been recommended but is not practicable (p. 140). 



The nymphs may be reduced by weeding and in some countries, but 

 not in Trinidad, by flooding the land (p. 140). 



Spraying for nymphs has been recommended, but no reliable cheap 

 liquid has yet been discovered. The cost of the method, even with a 

 cheap spray, and the labour required to distribute it are much against 

 its general adoption (p. 140). 



