316 SUGAR CANE 



The soil should contain much vegetable matter to aid in forcing 

 a vigorous growth and to cause the soil to hold capillary moisture 

 better. 



If in the removal of the crop the entire stems and leaves are 

 removed and not returned to the soil much fertility is lost. In 

 some sections the leaves and tops are burned in the fields and 

 practically -all of the nitrogen is lost. Where such is the practice 

 much fertilizer rich in nitrogen is purchased. As much as two 

 hundred or four hundred pounds of nitrate of soda per acre, or 

 the equivalent in cottonseed meal, may be applied where this 

 burning is practiced; two hundred and fifty pounds of acid phos- 

 phate per acre gives good returns. Little potash is needed. The 



FIG. 209. Cutting the cane crop; standing cane at right; cut cane in center; strippings at 

 left. (Louisiana Station.) 



supply of organic matter in the soil, as well as the nitrogen, may 

 be maintained by growing the crop in rotation with cow peas, 

 which are turned under as green manure. If the rows are far 

 enough apart crimson clover may be seeded in early fall and pro- 

 duce a winter cover for the field after the cane is cut. 



Cultivation. As the rows cannot be cultivated by machines 

 crosswise, it becomes necessary to remove the weeds in the rows 

 by hand hoeing. Cultivation should be frequent, and the fields 

 kept free from weeds. Both disk cultivators and ordinary corn 

 cultivators are used in cane fields. As the crop bears a large number 

 of broad leaves it soon shades the ground thoroughly. After this 

 the cultivation is usually stopped for the season. 



