8 



CHAPTER i 



new shoots form from Ihis rhizome until the whole stool of cane is formed. 



It is possible, too, that in the first year's 

 growth the shoots formed from the first 

 original rhizome may send out shoots 

 from the rhizomes that they themselves 

 form. On cutting down the stalks at 

 harvest the underground portion of the 

 plant is stimulated to send out shoots 

 from the dormant eyes and the first 

 "'"'^'^^ ratoon crop begins. This process may 

 be repeated indefinitely, the limit of 

 successive crops from one planting being 

 very great. In this process, the original 

 rhizome does not necessarily die when 

 the first stalk is cut, and third, fourth 

 or even later ratoon crops may contain 



Fig. 8 



sLalks still springing fi om the rhizome formed from the original cutting, but 

 ihe tendency is for the older parts to die away. 

 Fig. 7 shows, after Auchinleck,^ a combination of 

 rhizomes as found in a ratoon crop. 



The roots of the cane spring from the nodes of 

 the stem ; they are fibrous, lateral, and very deli- 

 cate ; they ramify in all directions, generally ex- 

 tending from i8 inches to 3 feet from the stem. 

 Stubbs' says that the roots do not penetrate very 

 deeply, but Ting Roth^ mentions roots extending as far downwards as 4f. feet. 



Xji 



Fig. 



