414 



THE AMERICAN FARMER. 



The cutting of the cane should be as close to the ground as possible, since the lowest 

 joints of the stalks are richest in saccharine or sugar-producing matter; besides, the sprouts 

 or rattoons will grow more vigorously when the old stalks are cut close than when left stand 

 ing above the surface of the ground. The best results are obtained from cane when it is 

 worked up within twenty-four hours after being cut in the field. It has sometimes been the 

 practice, when not convenient to do this, to leave the tops on the stalks, and cut and pile them 

 in the field in long rows, to the height of three or four feet, the tops of the cane from one 

 hill being thrown over the ends of another, and so on, putting the stalks from three or four 

 rows together. It has frequently been kept three or four weeks in this way before taking it 

 to the mill, and without any apparent injury from frost, unless.it be unusually severe. This 

 practice, however, is not to be recommended, as it has been found that the product is in this 

 way injured. In such cases, the tops should be cut off just before expressing the juice. It 

 is better to have the cane taken to the mill as soon as cut, if practicable. 



Implements for cutting the crop have been invented which greatly facilitate the method 

 of hand-labor. It should always be harvested before the frost makes its appearance. The 

 tops and leaves may be used for feeding stock, utilized in the compost-heap, or left on the 

 ground for manure. The tops should never be planted, as this will result in deterioration of 

 the crop. Only the best part of the stalks of thrifty plants should ever be used for cuttings. 

 Manufacturing Sugar. The inefficiency of machinery for expressing the juice of 



the sugar-cane has been the 

 source of great loss to the 

 planter, and a serious detriment 

 to the profitable production of 

 this crop. The object of the 

 mill is to extract the juice from 

 the cane. This is done by crush 

 ing it, which requires a machine 

 of great power, and afterwards 

 expressing the juice by heavy 

 pressure. It has been estimtead 

 by those who have investigated 

 the subject, that about forty per 

 cent, of the sugar which has 

 been cultivated during the past 

 few years in this country has 

 been wasted on account of a lack 

 of sufficiently strong mills for 

 extracting the juice of the cane. 

 Mills that will perform the best 

 service must of necessity be 

 made heavy and strong, a power 

 ful pressure being required, 

 and are consequently quite 

 expensive. However, the quantity of sugar saved by the use of a good mill will soon be 

 sufficient to repay the extra expense of procuring it. It is a good plan for a few planters to 

 purchase, in company, a complete set of the best machinery for the manufacturing of their 

 sugar. By this means, a practice highly recommended by some of the most able agricul 

 tural writers of the South, the use of the best implement can be secured to each member 

 of the company at a comparatively slight expense. The sugar product is a remunerative one 

 when properly managed, and the necessary implements for its cultivation and manufacture 

 are employed. There are many valuable mills in the market, for both steam and horse-power. 



VICTOR CANE-MILL. 



