610 THE farmers' handbook. 



good ripe cane for the purpose of sets, on the ground that the buds, un- 

 developed by the light and and air admitted, but Dr. Cobb in particular 

 regards the natural covering as beneficial to the eyes, extent when certain 

 insects are present that shelter between the leaves and cane. 



The cane crop is removed between July and December, according to 

 whether it was planted early or late and to the conditions that have obtained 

 during growth. Occasionally a plant crop matures with unusual rapidity, 

 but on the whole it is the first ratoon crop that is cut earliest in the season. 

 The experienced grower does not need to be told that the cane must be cut 

 as close to the ground as possible ; not only is the maximum weight of cane 

 obtained in this way, but also the part of the cane in which the sugar 

 content is greatest and to which, therefore, the gi-eatest value attaches. 



Harvesting has become a well-organised operation, upon the details of 

 which it is unnecessary to linger. 



Burning the Trash. 



The first operation that follows the harvesting of the cane is the burning 

 of the trash. The dead and dying leaves that remain on the ground after 

 the crop is cut and removed must run into several tons per acre, and it is 

 impossible to avoid the regiet that so much vegetable matter must be 

 destroyed. Might it not be allowed to lie on the surface until it can be 

 ploughed under, and thus returned as humus to the soil that produced it ? 

 The idea looks attractive, but the trash harbours much in the way of fungi 

 and insects, and the practice would almost certainly be attended by an in- 

 crease in the number of enemies with which the ratoon crop would have to 

 compete. Where a stand is being ploughed out it might be permissible to 

 allow the trash to remain on the surface and plough it under when breaking 

 up the cane stools ; but even there the practice has the obvious objection 

 that if the land is to be replanted at once to cane, the young plants will have 

 plenty of enemies waiting them in the soil. If some other crop, such as 

 maize, or a renovating crop such as cowpeas, is to occupy the ground for a 

 year before the land is replanted to cane, no doubt the interval would be 

 sufficient for the spores of the fungi to be starved out, and in such cases the 

 trash might be turned under with a measure of safety, but the practice 

 cannot otherwise be commended. 



Where the crop has been cut veiy early in the season, and there is danger 

 that frost may catch the tender shoots of the following ratoon crop, it is 

 better to let the trash lie on the surface until the risk of frost is past, for 

 the young plant is exceedingly tender, but even this must be with the 

 r servation that any fungi present will become bus}' at the first improve- 

 ment of the weather, so that the firestick must be put in as early as possible. 



Cultivating the Ratoon Crop. 



The trash being thus disposed of, the farmer must set about the cultiva- 

 tion of the stools in view of the ratoon crop. In the sugar-cane districts of 

 New South Wales, fanners look to get at least two cuts of cane from a stand 

 — one "plant" cane and one ratoon — but quite frequently the stand is good 

 enough to yield three ratoon crops (or four cuts in all). 



The first operation on behalf of the ratoon crop is a thorough deep plough- 

 ing between the drills to open up and aerate the soil, working (dose to the 

 stools with some disc instrument that will act as a root-pruner. Distinct 

 advantages lie in thoroughly opening and exposing the stools to light and 



