26 



The North Central division contained 92,166 acres, or 31.4 per cent of the whole, 

 of which Kansas and .Missouri together contributed "><>. 1 per cent. In the South 

 Central division there were 145,812 acres, or 49.7 per cent of the whole, of which 

 Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Texas together furnished 

 88.1 percent. The Western division contained S'.H; acres, or ().."> per cent ol the whole, 

 of which 371 acres were in Utah. The North Atlantic division contained 0.1 per 

 cent of the total acreage. 



There was a decrease in area since 1889 of 21). "> per cent. 



From these figures, showing a total production of table sirup amount- 

 ing to 29,265,815 gallons from cane grown by more than r>oo,000 

 farmers, the importance of this industry and its extent are apparent. 

 Louisiana has long been a producer of a favorably-known sirup termed 

 "open-kettle molasses/' while (Jeorghi, Florida, and other Gulf State> 

 have lands upon which cane can be grown that produces si nip of excep- 

 tionally good flavor. The agricultural phase of the industry as it is 

 now being developed in this section of the country is illustrated by the 

 following reports of the special agents who have during the past year 

 investigated the agricultural conditions and methods now existing. 



SUGAR-CANE CULTURE AT CAIRO, (JA. 



By RALPH HOAGI.AND ;ml R. D. STUBBS, 



<(/ A<tnit*. 



Sirup making from sugar cane is the important industry in this section, there 

 being numerous steam factories arid a great many horsepower mills using the open- 

 kettle process. During last season, October 1, 1901, to March 1, 1902, 10,777 barrels 

 of sirup were shipped from Cairo (Plant System), while over the whole of that 

 railway system in Georgia only 16,618 barrels were shipped, thus showing Cairo to 

 be the center of the greatest sirup-producing section in the State. 



In consultation with Mr. J. F>. Wight, president of the Cane Growers' Association 

 of Cairo, the following points were derided upon for study and investigation: 



1 ) Best fertilizer for tonnage of cane. 



2) Best fertilizer for sucrose content. 



3) Effect of potash in effecting early development of sucrose. 



(4) Best method of application of fertilizers. 



(5) Amount of fertilizer that can he profitably used per acre. 



(6) Difference in sucrose content at time of full development, of cane fertilized 

 with arid phosphate and potash and ammonia in excess, and of cane fertilized with 

 normal fertilizer. 



(7). Careful noting of any differences that may appear in any respect in cane raised 

 on velvet-bean land as compared with cane on potato land. 



- hifferences in flavor of sirup made from cane receiving different fertilizers. 



(9) Differences in purity coellicients of cane receiving different fertilizers. 



(10) Determination, by measurement and weighing, of tonnage per acre in various 

 fields to obtain tin- average yield per acre. (2) To determine maximum yield. 



(11) Average juice extraction at various mills of different types. 



(12) Fall planting of cane. 

 ' I:; i Planting of tops. 



i 1 I i I'.f.-t method of saving stubble. 



Variety tests, and breeding of cane to increase suci-ose content. 

 i hi) I'.est and >implest method of clarification for small factories; for steam fac- 



tories. 



(17) Kffect of sulphur and lime upon quality of sirup. 



The comments on the fertilizer experiments are found in Part I of this bulletin, 

 even one year's work being very instructive as to some points, while in regard to 

 Others, such as methods of planting, cultivation, saving seed, etc., several years' 



