11 



When the first ratoon cane is a few feet high, the crest of the fur* 

 row is thrown into the furrow so making the irrigation water pass 

 between the rows of cane instead of in the furrows and on the cane 

 as it does with the plant cane. 



The cane is recut as many times as it will pay. On some sections 

 of this estate there have been canes cut four times only and it would 

 not pay to cut again; while on other sections seven cuts have been 

 made giving good results. 



Applying fertilizer. The estates that fertilize use chiefly the native 

 guano and sometimes ashes from the begasse plant. Fertilizer is 

 applied differently by different planters; some throw it into tho 

 furrow with the cane, allowing it to remain some time before 

 running on water; others distribute it along the furrows after the cane 

 is a few months old and cover it up at once; still others distribute it 

 along the furrows and turn the water on immediately. An effort is 

 being made on some of the estates to grind both the guano and ashes; 

 and also, to spread the fertilizer broadcast over the field just before 

 replanting. 



A few planters use lime and gypsum. Small importations of potash 

 salts as well as chemically prepared fertilizars have been made, but 

 these are small compared with the amount of guano used. 



Irrigating. The irrigation waters from the river are led to the land 

 by canals. From these the water is carried to the sections by smaller 

 ditches running along the heads of the sections. From the section ditch- 

 es it may be run directly to the cane rows. As the rows are parallel, 

 and the land slightly sloping, the water flows freely from the upper 

 to the lower end of the section. Some times the water is allowed to 

 pass from a cuartel to the one below through small connecting ditch- 

 es cut in the roadway. Water is held in the furrow by darning 

 the lower end. In addition to these irrigating ditches, drainage 

 ditches are sometimes dug along the lower portions of the section 

 to secure better drainage for the soil and to collect the water pass- 

 ing over alkali lands. 



As yet no system similar to that in Hawaii (the contour irregu- 

 lar furrow system) has been observed, and owing to the almost 

 level fields and the fact that the soils are less porous than those of 

 Hawaii, it is doubtful whether it would prove of advantage here. 



Irrigation by pumping water from wells it not generally prac- 

 tised. There is one pumping plant on the Cartavio estate that de- 

 rives its water from nit rat ions. The total depth of the hole is about 



