44 THE CHINESE SUGAR CANE. 
them. We straightened up a number on opposite rows, 
inclined them towards the center, and bound them 
together by wisps of straw, or by strings, thinking that 
by treating the whole field in this manner, we might 
save a considerable portion of our crop; but we soon 
found that the knots on the canes were so tender that 
a very large number of them broke in two at the joints, 
and were thus rendered entirely useless. We discon- 
tinued the experiment, after having satisfied ourselves of 
its inefficacy. On the portions of the field which we 
left untouched, the plants were mingled together in 
much confusion upon the ground, and we found to our 
surprise, that no fermentation occurred ; nor did the plants 
beneath die out because of the superincumbent masses, 
but like corn under similar circumstances, the: stalks 
began to grow with a curve upward. In some cases, 
the upper ones partly elevated themselves. The ones 
beneath struggled to get to the light and air, in some 
cases protruding their panicles where an opening occurred. 
But Dr. Sicard, who met with a similar accident at the 
time when they had not thrown out their seed-heads, 
says, ‘‘ At the end of several days they made efforts to 
raise themselves. The canes which were on top were 
nearly successful; but not so those which were buried. It 
seemed as if cofiscious that they could not overcome the 
weight which rested upon them, they twisted their stalks 
upwards, and in that prostrated condition developed 
their flowers in the usual way. One of them which was 
completely buried, and which could not reach the light, 
had thrown out from each one of its nodes, shoots which 
formed large panicles and yielded a rich harvest of 
