SUGAR CANE 47 



water for a crop of sugar cane in Louisiana is about 60 inches, 

 in Demerara about 100 inches, and in Hawaii about 150 inches. 

 There are many known cases of special adaptability of variety 

 to climate; for example, D. 74 Louisiana, Lahaina cane on 

 irrigated lands in Hawaii, and Yellow Caledonia on unirri- 

 gated plantations and at higher elevations in Hawaii. It has 

 been fairly well shown that cane soils should have a high 

 water-holding power and that on this account clays, lateritic 

 soils, and alluvial soils are perhaps best for the growth of 

 cane. 



The use of fertilizers in the production of sugar cane has 

 received a great amount of attention in all cane-growing coun- 

 tries. In Hawaii, a profit has been shown from the use of 

 fertilizers even on soils which will produce n tons of sugar 

 per acre, and naturally fertilizers give still more profitable 

 returns on poorer soils. In Hawaii, the tendency now is to 

 use more nitrogen and less potash than in fosmer years. This 

 change in formula came about as a result of extended experi- 

 ence in which it was found that potash was not required to 

 the extent which had previously been considered necessary. 

 Lime is used extensively in cane production. In Hawaii, coral 

 sand is much used for that purpose. It has generally been 

 found that nitrogen should be applied early in the growth 

 of the cane. Nitrate of soda may easily be applied in solution 

 in the irrigation water. This practice is followed on a number 

 of Hawaiian plantations. No specific effect has ever been 

 shown of fertilizers on the composition of cane juice. The 

 mud press cake is usually returned to the soil and on some 

 of the Hawaiian plantations all the molasses from the mills 

 is returned to the soil as fertilizer. Sugar cane causes little 

 soil exhaustion if all trash is returned to the soil. In Hawaii 

 and in many of the cane-growing countries, the practice was 

 adopted years ago of burning all cane leaves and tops left in 

 the field after harvesting. In recent years, this tendency was- 

 further extended in Hawaii where the cane fields were burned 



