614 THE farmers' handbook. 



vigorous in habit as to escape many of the troubles of other canes. -At least 

 one crop estimated to run 80 tons to the acre was last season to be seen on 

 the Richmond. Gumming, so generally associated with want of drainage, 

 does not seem to affect Malabar to the same extent as some other varieties, 

 but in sugar-content it is rather weak, especially if not allowed to mature 

 fully. Its vigorous habit makes it somewhat of a favourite on the stony 

 lands of the Cudgen area, but growers should take care that they plant only 

 from sound stock. Drill planting is preferable with Malabar, and sets are 

 generally dropped 2 feet apart in the row. 



Innis 131. — -This variety is grown to a limited extent on the Clarence, 

 while an occasional crop may be seen on the Richmond. It is a very erect 

 grower and a poor stooler, and hence should be planted in drills. For sandy 

 ground it is, perhaps, the best of all varieties at present grown in New South 

 Wales, and it has the recommendations that it weighs well at the mill and 

 is rich in sugar, but fur the most part there are more profitable sorts. 



D 1135. — Atone time this variety was extensively grown, but it became 

 susceptible to Fiji and other diseases, and only a few crops of it are now to 

 be seen. Tt is fairly well suited to the poorer classes of soils, and under 

 conditions favourable to it, matures rapidly ; but where it has been growing 

 for a number of years the introduction of one of the newer canes might be 

 said to be imperative. 



1900 Seedling. — This is a cane of high quality that yields some good crops 

 on well-drained lands, but it is very susceptible to Fiji disease, and, conse- 

 quently, the sets should be carefully selected. 



No. 1L — This is still regarded by farmers as one of the best canes ever 

 grown on the rivers, but it became badly affected with Fiji and other dis- 

 eases some years ago, and has been dropped. It is only mentioned here as a 

 variety that might be well worth attention in plant improvement work, a 

 direction in which opportunities do present themselves to observant farmers. 



Louisiana 511. — Coming tirst into prominence in the country of its origin 

 in 1938, Louisiana 511 has since maintained a reputation for high sugar- 

 content. It is tall and etect in habit, and has been observed at Coimbatore 

 sugar-cane breeding station in India to carry an extremely short top — an 

 indication of early maturity. It is under trial at the Department's Duck 

 Creek farm, and has been found to produce as much as 6 feet of cutting cane. 

 In common with .one or two other varieties which have been produced in 

 Louisiana, this cane is regarded as beginning a new era in the production of 

 sugar. It is one of the consricuous examples of the possibilities that 

 systematic plant improvement offers, and is in itself an encouragement to 

 someone to take up the matter in this country. 



The Diseases of Sugar Cane. 



The diseases to which sugar cane is liable in this State are not numerous, 

 but, as has been indicated in the earlier articles, they have had a marked 

 effect on the areas devoted to the crop and on the profits derived by the 

 growers. As with many other classes of produce, the cane-farmer is disposed 

 to regard somewhat lightly the appearance of disease until the effects have 

 become manifest and serious loss has been entailed. Then there is a hurried 

 resort to some new variety, and perhaps an injured appeal to the Department 

 of Agriculture for assistance. 



[ncidental reference has already been made to the influence of clean 

 cultivation, combined with judicious selection of the variety and the seed as 

 means of prevention, and it can only be repeated now that these measures — 



