134 CHAPTER VIII 



hoes, and it leaves the stubble cane in even better cultural condition than the plant 

 cane, for one side of each row is thoroughly cultivated, while the other side is 

 protected by a heavy mulch of trash, which serves perfectly to retain moisture. 

 The next year, of course, the middles are reversed so that all the soil is thoroughly 

 aerated, and pulverized every two years. And yet only half of it is exposed to the 

 depleting influence of tillage, while all the trash is retained on the land and is 

 ultimately incorporated with it to add to its supply of humus, a substance so 

 necessary for successful tropical agriculture." 



Generally, however, cultivation in Cuba is restricted to weeding with 

 the hoe and the cutlass. A few plantations in the western half, it is true, 

 use small ploughs to cut down the weeds on ratoon crops, but generally 

 in no other cane-growing district is cultivation so neglected. 



A system of cultivation due to Zayas was proposed for use in Cuba 

 about 1908. It was suggested to plant the canes in rows about twelve 

 feet apart and combine this with continuous cultivation. A selective 

 harvest was also proposed, immature stalks being left over so that a contin- 

 uous crop would result. The system was tried on a number of plantations 

 in Cuba, but none of the results served as an incentive to the general adoption 

 of the scheme. 



Java. — After the cane has been planted in the carefulh^ prepared fields 

 of Java, cultivation is confined to weeding by hand and to earthing up the 

 young cane. Usually the continued turning over of the soil itself destroys 

 the weeds, which never have a chance to become established. As already 

 described, in Java the canes are planted in deep trenches, and the cultivation 

 consists in first of all loosening the soil in the trench with the patjol, and then 

 as the cane grows gradually working down the banks until the field becomes 

 level. In this way some foot or more of the cane stalk becomes buried 

 in the soil. As it is exceptional in Java to grow ratoon cane, the methods 

 of ratoon cultivation in vogue elsewhere find no place there. 



Trashing. — By this term is meant the removal of the dead leaves, which 

 normally remain attached to the cane stalks. The alleged reasons for the 

 process are : — 



1. The removal of the leaves exposes the cane to the effect of light 

 and air, and thereby hastens its maturity. 



2. The dead leaves afford harbouring places for obnoxious insects, 

 especially plant lice and mealy bugs. 



3. Water lodging in the leaf axils promotes the development of the eyes 

 and aerial roots, to the detriment of the cane. 



4. The dry leaves being placed on the ground act as a mulch and help 

 to conserve soil water. 



On the other hand it may be claimed that the ripening effect is small, 

 and that the damage done by the labourers passing through the fields more 

 than offsets any possible advantage. This will be particularly likely to 

 happen when other than quite dead leaves are removed, as then the way 

 may be prepared for the attacks of fungi. The question has been frequently 

 put to experimental test. Boname,^ who writes strongly in favour of the 

 process found : — 



A. Only completely dry leaves removed. 



B. Canes trashed d blanc, i.e., a certain number of green leaves removed. 



C. No trashing. 



A. B. C. 



Degree Baume .. .. 8' 10 .. 7' 50 •• 7" 7° 



Sugar per cent. .. 13 "4° •• ii*6o .. i2'20 



Glucose, per cent. . . i • 30 . . i • 56 . . i • 29 



