SUGAR CANE 123 



is plowed and is planted to corn very early in the 

 spring. At the last cultivation of the corn, cowpeas 

 are broadcasted at the rate of one to tliree bushels 

 per acre. After the corn is gathered these produce 

 an immense mass of vegetation which together with 

 the corn stalks are plowed under with a disk plow dur- 

 ing the latter part of summer. In about four weeks 

 the vines will have rotted enough so that the land 

 can be bedded. This is done with a large two-horse 

 turning plow, and the beds or ridges are thrown 

 up about six to seven feet apart. These beds are 

 crossed by quarter drains at sufficiently frequent in- 

 tervals, which lead into the larger ditches and these 

 in turn into large drainage canals, so that any exces- 

 sive rainfall is quickly carried away. Planting be- 

 gins about the first of October or as soon as the seed 

 cane is sufficiently mature to insure good germina- 

 tion. Planting furrows are opened in the top of the 

 ridges with a double moldboard plow, but this fur- 

 row should not be quite as deep as the water furrow 

 between the rows. Two rows of seed cane are laid 

 in the bottom of this furrow, which is then filled in 

 five or six inches deep by means of the disk cultiva- 

 tor. It is covered thus deeply to protect the seed 

 cane from freezing during the winter. The cane is 

 planted full length as it is found to keep better than 

 when cut in short pieces. About four tons of seed 

 cane are required per acre. Planting is usually in- 

 terrupted at the beginning of the grinding season in 

 November. On most plantations it is necessary to 

 make spring plantings also. For this purpose seed 

 cane must be carried over winter by the process 



