16 SUGAR 



cane. The falling leaves take with them much valuable 

 food to return to the soil, and the naked cane has better 

 opportunity for good ripening. 



This ripening of the cane is a very ticklish matter. 

 If the cane is cut before it is quite ripe some of the 

 sugar which it contains is not in a crystallizable state. 

 On the other hand, if the cane gets too ripe some of its 

 crystallizable sugar goes back into the uncrystallizable 

 state. This must often be a sad trouble to the manager 

 of an estate and factory. Again, if the central factory 

 is supplied with canes from a multitude of small 

 farmers they may be all wanting to send their canes in 

 at one time. To the factory this is an impossible 

 situation. The manager must, consequently, be con- 

 tent to have canes which are not always at the exact 

 point of ripeness which might be desired. 



The growth of the cane, lasting about 15 to 18 months 

 is an interesting study. When it is at maturity the 

 rind is of a very strong consistency, and is protected 

 on the outside by a waxen covering. The inside of 

 the cane consists of the cells containing the sugar juice, 

 and of long bundles of fibres which convey from the 

 ground the water and food necessary for helping to carry 

 on the process of development. These fibres call at 

 each ring of the cane in order to deliver the particular 

 food required for the growth of the leaf, and the sus- 

 tenance of the germ-bud. To the top of the cane they 

 bring those things which are necessary for the growth 

 of the cane, the arrow and the flower. The leaves 

 in their turn do a most important work. While the 

 internal fibres are bringing food and water from the 

 ground, the leaves, helped by the sunshine, are collecting 

 carbonic acid from the air, and it is the carbon thus 

 consumed by the plant which, combining with the water 

 from below, forms the substance which we call sugar. 



