SEMI-TBOPICAL CROPS. 91 



The after cultivation is to keep the surface soil loose and 

 clean until the crop shades the land, in say from three to 

 five months. As they arrive at maturity the lower 

 leaves droop and die, and the canes become hard and very 

 sweet. 



Harvesting. When arrived at a fit stage, " trashing," 

 or stripping off the dead leaves, is proceeded with. The 

 plants are then as thick in the rows as they well can be. 

 The top leaves of the tall-growing varieties meet overhead, 

 and at the sides the canes form a wall through which an 

 opening can scarcely be found. Between the rows a man 

 can barely force a passage, while the trash which has 

 collected during the season is piled up in the centre of the 

 rows, and forms a soft mass from 12 to 20 inches deep. 

 Ripe canes should have, at least, four feet (after cutting off 

 the green sappy top) fit for the mill. 



Weight of Crop. Thirty tons of ripe cane to the acre 

 is considered a fair average. With the best machinery, 80 

 per cent, of juice is obtained from the canes in their best 

 condition ; but 70 per cent, is a high return. At that, 

 25 tons of cane, the juice of which may mark 10 upon 

 Baume's saccharometer, gives, with the superior manufac- 

 ture of the present day, nearly 2 tons of dry sugar from 

 an acre of land. 



TOBACCO. This is an old Australian product. Its 

 cultivation is well understood and followed extensively in 

 a few localities. Tobacco, to yield a creditable crop, must 

 have rich soil, close attention, and steady, clean farming. 

 Varieties grown are Havanah, Yarra, Virginia, Florida, 

 Connecticut, Maryland, German or Cabbage Leaf, Turkish, 

 Bird's-eye, &c. A fair average yield is 12c\vt. per acre. 

 Sowing is done from early in August until the end of the 

 year, and planting out during September and October for 

 summer crops, and again in January and February for later 

 crops, in accordance with the seasons found to answer best 

 in various localities. The varieties are liable to mix when 

 grown together, by bees and insects hybridising the 

 flowers. Care has, therefore, to be used when a choice 

 and suitable sort is being grown that it is kept well apart 

 from other sorts. 



