85 



around Pontevedra and La Carlota but may be taken as fairly rep- 

 resentative of the system employed throughout the whole Island. 



Four or five weeks after planting, when the young sprouts are 30 to 40 

 centimeters high, the first plowing, called "pahulug," is made. This consists in 

 plowing two furrows close along the cane in each row, so that the dirt is thrown 

 away from the cane and toward the center of the row. If the plowing is simply 

 to kill weeds, and dirt is neither taken away from or thrown up on the cane, 

 it is called "tudling." Then, with a hoe, any weeds or dirt thrown up by the 

 plow are cleaned off from around the cane. In districts where cane is planted 

 in squares, "pahulug" is made by plowing two furrows between the cane in each 

 direction, without the use of the hoe. Fifteen or twenty days later, if weeds 

 have sprung up again, the operation of "pahulug" must be repeated. After this, 

 no further labor is required except an occasional plowing or harrowing to keep 

 down weeds until the month of ^lay or June, or until the first rains begin and 

 the operation known as "pasandig" is necessary. 



Three furrows are plowed between each row, throwing the dirt up around the 

 roots of the cane and making a shallow trench in the center between rows. This 

 treatment, just the opposite to "pahulug," is to prevent water from standing 

 around the roots of the young cane and injuring its growth. If, as sometimes 

 happens, a considerable period of dry weather intervenes after the first rains, it 

 may be necessary to repeat the "pahulug'" once mftre, but as soon as the rainy 

 season really sets in, generally in July, dirt is again thrown up around the roots 

 of the cane, which should by this time have attained a height of about 2 meters. 

 This final labor, called by the natives '"pasaca," is similar to "pasandig," but four 

 furrows are made between the cane rows instead of three, dirt is packed higher 

 up around the cane, and a much deeper trench is left in the center. Sometimes 

 a finishing touch is given by performing the labor called "lambon," which consists 

 in banking up earth along the sides and ends of the rows with a shovel, and 

 leveling off uneven spaces between the cane so as to leave no opportunity for 

 water to collect around it. Such a practice is considered to be more ornamental 

 than absolutely essential. The field is now considered "cerrado," closed up — that 

 is, the cane has reached a sufficient height and strength of gi-owth so that its 

 own shade prevents the further growth of weeds — and it can be left alone until 

 harvesting time. 



CULTIVATION OF KATOOX CAN'ES. 



The foregoing description applies to the cultivation of plant cane 

 only. A decidedly large proportion of the total land under cultivation 

 in Xegros, however, is not replanted eveiy year, but is allovred to ratoon, 

 from two to eight crops being taken off without replanting. This is 

 especially true in the rich soils of the districts around Ilog-Cabancalan, 

 Binalbagan-Isabela, San Carlos, and Bais. Theoretically, cane planted 

 in some of these alluvial soils, which are flooded and fertilized each 

 year by silt brought down from the mountains by the ovei^flow of a 

 river, might go on ratooning indefinitely. Practically, the period be- 

 tween plantings is limited strictly by financial considerations. 



Much time and expense are saved by not being obliged to replant. 

 On the other hand, the yield from plant cane is as a rule greater than 



