CANE SUGAR. 



soil. At twelve months of age the crop actually consumes in its economy ten 

 times as much water as a crop one month old, but owing to the causes 

 mentioned above the apparent consumption is much less disproportionate. 



It was found by experiment in Hawaii that the best results were obtained 

 when the young cane received 0'5 inch per week ; less favourable results were 

 obtained when the water supplied was one inch per week, and when the 

 furrows were filled with water the cane came up yellow and sickly. As the 

 cane comes away it requires about one inch weekly up to three or four months, 

 alter which 1 -5 inches are necessary until the crop is in full vigour when three 

 inches and never more are required. These figures refer to natural and 

 artificial supplies combined. The reports quoted above give as a general figure 

 that 1000 pounds of water are required per pound of sugar produced, and 

 mention that certain plantations in Hawaii use much more water than the 

 quantities cited with less favourable results. 



TABLE GIVING WATER USED IN PRODUCTION OF A CANE CROP. 



Monthly Irrigation Water 



Period of Application. Rainfall. Monthly. 



Inches. Inches. 



July ;., 0-94 .. 4-0 



August 1-58 .. 4-0 



September 0'88 . . 4'0 



October 1-75 .. 3'0 



November 1-32 .. 3'0 



December 1-86 . . 2-0 



January I'OO .. 4'0 



February 3'75 .. 1-5 



March 3'98 . . 3-0 



April 0-85 . . 4'0 



May 2-01 . . 4-0 



June 0-88 . . 7'0 



July 0-17 .. 7-0 



August 1-90 .. 9-0 



September . . 0'75 . . 8-0 



October 2'92 . . 6'0 



November . 0'47 . . 3'0 



27-01 76-5 



The following figures taken from the same source contain much informa- 

 tion regarding irrigation in Hawaii. 



Gallons of water used by the crop per acre : 



Volume of the Volume of the Total water 



Crop. rainfall per acre. irrigation per acre. received per acre. 



Gallons. Gallons. Gallons. 



1897-98 .. .. 1,260,150 .. 1,273,700 .. 2,533,850 

 1898-99 .... 728,990 .. 2,059,600 .. 2,788,590 



Total consumption of water per pound of sugar produced : 



Weight of water Weight of Sugar Water used 



Crop. used per acre. produced per acre. per Ib. of Sugar. 



Lbs. Lbs. Lbs. 



1897-98 -.-. , .. 25,338,500 ... 24,775 .. 1023 



1898-99 27,885,900 , *>_ 29,059 . . 959 



92 



