CANE SUGAR. 



MONTHLY COMPOSITION OF THE CANE (WHOLE PLANT). 



After BOUF. 



Cyanamide, to be assimilated by plants, must first be acted on by soil 

 organisms, and hence is generally applied before planting, especially as this 

 material has some harmful effect on the germination of seeds. 



Superphosphates are also often applied as a top dressing, or are worked 

 in at a very slight depth. Stubbs recommends that they should be spread over 

 the whole area to be manured. Slag and mineral phosphates require to be 

 thoroughly incorporated in the soil. 



Potash also, being readily and completely fixed by the silicates of the 

 soil, requires thorough incorporation. 



There is no reason (and indeed in many ways it is advantageous) why 

 phosphate and potassic manures should not be applied to the soil during the 

 preliminary cultural operations before planting. The retention of these 

 materials by the soil is so absolute that no loss by leaching is to be 

 apprehended. 



Valuation Of Manures. The question of the valuation of manures 

 is a special subject of its own, and outside the scope of a work of this nature. 



68 



