MANUAL FOR SUGAR GROWERS. 43 



land is quickly broken up and planted, thus provid- 

 ing plants for itself and for other fields besides. 



The plant-top consists of the three or four upper 

 joints of the cane which are yet immature ; the leaves 

 are cut off, leaving a piece of the cane about ten 

 inches long, having two or three healthy buds or 

 eyes. The plant-tops should be carefully picked over 

 in order to reject any suffering from the attacks of 

 borer or from any other disease, and as a precau- 

 tionary measure they should invariably be soaked 

 for a short time (an hour or two) in slaked lime and 

 water, two pounds of lime to a gallon of water being 

 a convenient strength ; this treatment destroys a 

 great many animal and vegetable parasites, though 

 unfortunately there are some, particularly the eggs 

 of certain insects, which are not destroyed by it. In 

 cases where diseases persistently attack the young 

 plants the following method of treatment suggested 

 by Dr. Bancroft is useful : Carefully clean the joints 

 from all trash ; then immerse the plants in a mixture 

 of carbolic acid and water heated to such a tempera- 

 ture as the hand can bear, using one pound of acid 

 to fifty gallons of water ; allow the plants to remain 

 in this mixture for twenty-four hours ; then immerse 

 in a mixture of lime and water of the strength given 

 above for a few minutes. Careful selection of plant- 

 tops, followed by soaking in lime-water, greatly as- 

 sists in securing an even, well-established growth of 

 young canes. 



In selecting tops for planting there are several 

 points to remember. The upper portion of the top 

 should be cut off sufficiently low down to cut out the 



