OTHER FARM CROPS 659 



preferable in localities so far north that the cane does not have full 

 time for maturity. Planted in fall, the cane comes up earlier in the 

 spring, and, of course, permits of earlier grinding. At the same 

 time, more care is necessary to protect the cane from frost during 

 the winter months. "Plant-cane" is not so easily protected from the 

 cold, as when in windrow or bed. The ground should first be broken 

 broadcast preferably with a disc plow; on account of its giving a 

 more perfect pulverization, and the burial of any trash or vegeta- 

 tion. Then take a two-horse turning plow and put up the best beds 

 possible, cleaning out the middles so as to leave unobstructed drain- 

 age to the ditch or quarter drains. When ready to plant, from the 

 last of September to the middle of October, take a turning plow and 

 open up the top of the bed, throwing the dirt both ways, going to a 

 depth of about 6 inches. In this trench the bottom of which 

 should be above the level of the middles between the rows plant the 

 cane, and cover to a depth of at least six inches to keep out the cold 

 of winter; the eye of the cane being very sensitive. The cane should 

 only be cut in pieces short enough to admit of a straight row. If 

 the cane is very crooked, of course it must be cut in shorter lengths 

 to give this straight drill. But it is a mistake to cut straight cane in 

 short pieces ; or to cut it at all, if it can be avoided. The cane can 

 be planted stripped or unstripped, and it is safer to put two running 

 stalks together; although a good stand may sometimes be had from 

 one running stalk, by allowing the ends to lap at least 6 inches. It 

 should be remembered that the tops of the cane will do for plant- 

 ing; and at time of grinding, these may be kept for that purpose. 



Cultivation. When the cane first starts to coming up the 

 planter may feel very much discouraged over the absence of a stand. 

 But the disappointment is probably not justified. One shoot to 

 every foot may be considered a good stand, since the stalk has great 

 power for suckering, and will soon add to a stand that at first was 

 very unpromising. There is likely to be an ultimate stand of three 

 to six canes to the foot from planting two running stalks as above 

 indicated. During the early season, the cane suckers freely, and 

 many of these suckers are likely to die down later on. But if there 

 remains three good canes to the linear foot, the crop may be consid- 

 ered a very satisfactory one. If the cane comes up thick from the 

 start, it is likely to sucker excessively and become too thick, so it 

 is well to aid the start of what suckers are wanted early in the sea- 

 son, and then cultivate to suppress additional ones. The experienced 

 cane planter attempts to prevent excessive suckering by close culti- 

 vation; but, of course, this should not be close enough to cut the 

 roots of the cane. Suckers appearing after the middle of June are 

 not likely to mature, even when the rainfall happens to be pretty 

 well distributed and the soil well adapted to cane. It is more than 

 likely that the locality, north or south, from which the seed cane is 

 obtained, will exert an influence upon the date of its maturity. 

 Early in the spring as soon as danger of frost is over the cane 

 should be barred off, and the top of the ridge removed with hoes to 

 allow the young shoots to come out. Care should be exercised at this 



