23 



are made use of to a height of 2000 feet. In the irrigation 

 and drainage great care must be taken. As a rule, the 

 ground is tilled about the months of March and April 

 and planting is commenced in the month of July. This 

 month falling in the middle of the dry-season the young 

 plants are watered. Before and after the planting, the soil 

 is manured with ammoniac sulphate and carvi cakes. The 

 cane ripens within ten to fourteen months in the plains; 

 in higher grounds it takes not less than 18 months. The 

 crop is gathered from June till October. 



§ 5. When the cane is ripe, it must be cut as soon 

 as possible, as otherwise the sap diminishes in quantity 

 and also diminishes in quality. It is cut off level with the 

 ground or plucked out by the roots. In the fields the leaves 

 are taken off and the tops are cut to serve for the new 

 planting. 



§ 6. After the crop the cane is transported to the 

 mill to be crushed. The wood, dry leaves and ground cane 

 are used as fuel. The average production of cane of one baoe 

 (0,709649 Hectare) amounts to 900 picols (= 56000 K^^); 

 sometimes double this quantity is reached. 



As soon as the cane has been cut and transported 

 to the mill, it is pressed between cylinders, two of which 

 are placed horizontally and another above them. By this 

 simple operation about 65 to 70 per cent of the weight 

 of the cane is reduced to sap. Much sugar is still left in 

 the remainders (called the ,,ampas") and, for this reason 



