146 SORGHUM. 



no exception. This plant thrives to the greatest perfection in a warm, moist 

 climate, with moderate intervals of hot, dry weather, tempered by refreshing 

 sea breezes. Its most luxuriant development is always observed on islands and 

 sea coasts, leading to the supposition that the saline particles conveyed to it by 

 the winds are congenial to its taste; but, perhaps, a more weighty reason 

 for the exuberance of the plant in such situations, is to be found in the mois- 

 ture which accompanies the sea breezes, even in the hottest and dryest 

 , weather. 



Again : 



It is obvious that the sugar-cane is essentially a tropical plant, requiring the 

 strong light and great heat which can only be found in the tropics. But these 

 conditions alone are not sufficient for successful cane culture. Rain at the 

 proper season is equally necessary, though it may be to a great extent replaced 

 by a proper system of irrigation. On the other hand, rain at the wrong season, 

 i. e., when the canes are maturing, if in great quantity, may do much mischief. 

 As the canes are approaching maturity, 2 or ,S months of hot and fairly dry 

 weather are exceedingly beneficial, bringing the juice to the highest degree of 

 sweetness, and assuring a large yield of fine sugar. Slight showers at long in- 

 tervals, serve to maintain the vigor of the plant without appreciably weakening 

 the juice. In the case of renewed vegetation being caused by rains after a 

 drought, if it occurs in a locality where frost is not to be feared, it will some- 

 times be advantageous to leave the canes on the ground much later than usual, 

 as the juice will gradually become richer than it can be immediately after the 

 rain. 



On the other hand, should an alternation of sunshine and rain, which for the 

 space of 5 or 6 months has induced a luxurious vegetation, be followed by a 

 long continued drought, the growth of the plants and rattoons will be prema- 

 turely checked, and they will often, under these circumstances, show a disposi- 

 tion to arrow. Should they now be cut, the juice will probably be found of 

 good quality, and easily made into sugar — the only attendant evil being its de- 

 ficiency in quantity, owing to the small size which the canes have attained. 

 With a return of rain, vegetation would immediately revive, and then the evil 

 of having juice poor in saccharine matter would be added to that of unusually 

 small canes. 



The above quotation, written with reference only to the sugar-cane, 

 is almost a literal record of the results obtained at Washington Avith 

 the many varieties of sorghum, and accords with the experience of 

 many cultivators in various sections of the country. 



