85 



It is also recommended that the relation which exists between weight 

 of cane and percentage of sugar be ascertained. It is obvious that 

 there is a loss of weight in cane, which is a loss to the cane-grower and 

 at the same time an increase in the percentage of sugar, which is a 

 gain to the sugar manufacturer, caused by the drying of the canes 

 after the canes have completed growth. There. should be a correspond- 

 ence between the weight of the canes, the percentage of sugar, and the 

 price per ton of cane. 



And it is recommended that consideration be given to the keeping 

 qualities of cane of different varieties. The following analyses of five 

 varieties, made in a period of twenty days after the canes were cut, 

 shows that in some conditions, which are not now well understood, 

 canes may be kept for a considerable time after they are cut without 

 great loss of sugar. (See p. 99.) 



In one instance at this station several thousand canes were kept five 

 days without considerable loss of sugar, as was shown by comparison 

 of analyses made the first and the fifth day. The same has also been 

 observed, in one instance, in Louisiana, and in one instance at Attica, 

 Kans. As this quality is of considerable importance to the cane- 

 grower as well as to the sugar manufacturer, it would be well to inves- 

 tigate the conditions of ripeness, the weather, and the varieties, with 

 reference to the keeping quality. 



In this connection it may be said, that analysis of sorghum cane in 

 this western country is sometimes influenced by the state of the 

 weather. It is well known that in times of drought a rain immediately 

 lowers the percentage of sugar, sometimes* as much as 2 to 3 per cent. 

 In these cases analyses made before the rain are of juices more or less 

 inspissated, the analyses made after the rain are of juices more nearly 

 in their normal condition, and these differences are very readily ob- 

 served in the analyses. 



It is also true that in very dry times there are differences in the 

 analyses of canes cut in the morning or in the evening. This has been 

 observed in three of the four years' work at this station. In the work 

 this year many thousands of canes cut near the close of the day's 

 work and analyzed singly showed constantly higher percentages of 

 sugar than as many analyses of canes which were cut in the morning. 

 This was repeated many times, and this fact which may appear singu- 

 lar to those in humid climates is perhaps due to the simple fact that 

 in very dry times evaporation from the canes is more rapid during the 

 heat of the day than the roots can supply from the scanty moisture 

 in the soil, so that at evening the juices of the canes are partially 

 desiccated, while in the morning they are more nearly in their normal 

 condition, and these differences are notable in analysis, in some cases 

 amounting to as much as 1 per cent ; that is, a variety may show 14 per 

 cent sugar in the morning and in the evening may show 15 per cent of 

 sugar, the difference being simply due to evaporation of water from 



