42 MANUAL FOR SUGAR GROWERS. 



season there is some danger of waterlogging. The 

 second beneficial effect of this operation is due to 

 the extra tillage caused by the raising of the cross- 

 bar, some increase of nitrification resulting from this. 

 Some of these beneficial effects probably all, and to 

 a greater degree could be obtained by tile draining 

 with flat cultivation and machine weeding and tillage. 

 In whatever way the ground has been prepared, 

 the next operation to be performed is the actual 

 planting. For this purpose it is customary in the 

 West Indies to use the upper part of the sugar-cane ; 

 this, as it contains but little sugar and a large pro- 

 portion of glucose or molasses sugar, is useless for 

 grinding, hence there is no loss of cane for seed or 

 planting purposes. In some countries it has been 

 the custom to employ the whole of the cane for 

 planting, either laying whole canes in single or 

 double rows in the furrows and covering them with 

 earth, or planting short lengths of one, two, or three 

 joints. As these methods of planting offer no 

 advantages over the use of the top or end of the 

 cane, there appears to be no reason why they should 

 be retained. Some exercise of judgment is required 

 on the part of the planter so to arrange matters that 

 he may have canes to reap to supply himself with 

 plant-tops at the required time, and in December 

 and January it is not usual for the regular crop to 

 be ready for reaping-; it is therefore a common prac- 

 tice to leave a late field of canes as " stand-overs," or 

 to allow a ratoon crop to grow for the special pur- 

 pose of providing tops for planting. These ratoons 

 are cut while probably the canes are but short, the 



