of cultivating the Sugar Cane. 2C7 



The method is most simple : — Labourers, with baskets of 

 the cuttings, of one or two joints each, arrange themselves 

 along one side of the field ; they walk side by side, in as 

 straight a line as their eye and judgment enable them, 

 dropping the sets at the distance of about eighteen inches 

 asunder in the rows, and about four feet row from row ; 

 other labourers follow, and with the foot press the set about 

 two inches into the soft mud-like soil, which, with a sweep 

 or two with the sole of the foot, they most easily and readily 

 cover: nothing more is done. If the weather is moderately 

 showery, till the young shoots are some two or three inches 

 high, the earth is then loosened, for a few inches round 

 them, with a small weeding iron, something like a carpen- 

 ter's chisel : should the season prove dry, the field is occa- 

 sionally watered from the river, continuing to weed, and to 

 keep the ground loose round the stools. In August, two 

 or three months from the time of planting, small trenches 

 are cut through the field at short distances, and so contrived 

 as to serve to drain off the water, should the season prove 

 too wet for the canes ; which is often the case, and would 

 render their juices weak and unprofitable : the farmer there- 

 fore never fails to have his field plentifully and judiciously 

 intersected with drains, while the cane is small, and before 

 the usual time for the violent rains. Should the season 

 prove too dry, these trenches serve to conduct the water 

 from the river the more readily through the field, and also 

 to drain off what does not soak into the earth in the course 

 of a few hours ; for they say, if water is permitted to remain 

 in the field for a greater length of time, tlie cane would suifer 

 by it, so that thev reckon these drains indispensably neces- 

 sary ; and upon their being \ve\\ contrived depend, in a 

 great measure, their future hopes of profit. Immecliatelv 

 after the field is trenched, the canes are all propped : this is 

 an operation I do not remember to have seen mentinied 

 by any writer on this subject, and is probably peculiar to 

 these parts. It is done as follows : 



The canes are now about three feet high, and generally 

 from three to six from each set that has taki n root, and 

 form what we may call the stool : the lower leaves ot each 

 cane are first careiully wrapped up round it, so as to cover 

 it comi>letely in every part ; a small strong bamboo (or two), 

 tight or ten feet long, is then stuck into ihe earth, in the 

 middle of each stool, and the canes thereof tied to it; this 

 secures them in an erect position, and gives ihe air Ircc ac-. 

 cess round every part. As the canes advance in size, liiey 

 continue wrapping them round with the lower leaves, as 



lluy 



