220 CHAPTER XIII 



whilst northwards the area extends throughout Zululand. 

 Znluland is better suited for cane culture than Natal, owing 

 to the longer growing season. Parts of Zululand and Portu- 

 guese East Africa have a rainfall of 50 inches and more, while 

 the Natal coast has only 35 to 45 inches. In parts of Swazi- 

 land and Zululand — e.g., the Lobombo Flats, where cane can- 

 not be grown at present because of the low rainfall — excellent 

 possibilities for growing the crop under irrigation present 

 themselves. Kivers, such as the Pongola, can be readily 

 diverted and used to irrigate the cane, which could then bG 

 cultivated on the fiat land between the mountain ranges. Such 

 development would be dependent, of course, upon railway 

 extension. 



The highest production is found in parts of the world 

 having nearly 100 inches of rain per annum. In Zululand 

 yields up to 50 tons per acre are obtained, and in Natal a 

 yield of 25 tons per acre is considered good. The cane reaches 

 maturity in Zululand in about 18 months, but requires from 20 

 to 24 months in Natal. In some parts of the world it is an 

 annual crop. 



Heavy rains at the time of maturity may be detrimental 

 to sugar formation. Hot and fairly dry weather is required 

 at this time to increase the sugar content. 



For stock-feeding purposes, sugar cane can be grown very 

 successfully in the greater part of the Union — i.e., those areas 

 having a fairly high summer rainfall. 



It is a bulky crop, and is, consequently, limited to areas 

 having favourable transport facilities. 



Soil Requirements. — The crop does best on calcareous 

 loams containing plenty of humus. Compared with crops 

 like wheat it does surprisingly well on relatively sandy soils. 

 In the sugar cane belt two classes of soil predominate — (1) the 

 red or chocolate ferruginous sandy loam found on the hillsides, 

 which is easily worked and when properly manured is a very 

 fertile soil ; and (2) black vlei soils. The latter are very pro- 

 ductive in favourable seasons, but crops are apt to suffer from 

 water-logging and being low-lying the plants often suffer from 

 low temperatures. 



" An excessively saline condition, which is liable to be 

 found on flats along the sea coast, is also detrimental to sugar 

 cane, impregnating the juice with salt to such an extent as to 

 cause much trouble and expense in the manufacture of sugar." 



