34 



The following analyses show the composition of the cane juices from the various 

 plantations about Waycross: 



TABLE XVI. Composition of cane juices sampled at fnrtnric* near Win/cross, Ga. 



CANE GROWING IN THE VICINITY OF QUITMAX, GA. 



By J. M. STARR, Special Agent. 



Around Quitman cane seems to be grown only as an incidental crop. Most farm- 

 ers who run from 3 to 10 plows plant from 4 to 8 acres of cane. The small farmer with 

 one horse or mule plants from three-fourths acre to 1 J acres. There is a distinct 

 tendency to increase the acreage planted around Quitman, and many farmers have 

 expressed the intention of planting at least 40 per cent more in 1903 if the seed cane 

 comes through the winter well. The farmer who grows cane on the largest scale is 

 Mr. MeRae, who lives about 12 miles from the town. It is estimated that the 

 amount of sirup handled at Quitman for jobbing purposes will be approximately 

 4,500 barrels. The average price which the farmer receives is 25 cents per gallon. 



Three kinds of cane are grown in this locality, viz, purple cane (two varieties, big 

 short-joint cane, and small long-joint cane), ribbon cane (two varieties, red striped 

 and green striped), and green cane. The purple cane is most extensively grown for 

 sirup making, and the ribbon cane is the next in importance. The small red cane 

 grows as tall as the ribbon variety, but does not stand so thick and is generally 

 thought to be sweeter. The green cane is not much grown for sirup making. It 

 is very soft and tender, and the seed cane does not keep so well through the winter 

 a- the other varieties. 



Almost all farmers who plant several acres of cane use cotton seed and commercial 

 fertilizers containing nitrogen. Many of the cane growers use fertilizers that contain 

 too much ammonia, which results in red, strong sirup. In the freshly cleared laud, 

 where there is considerable decayed organic matter in the soil, acid phosphate is the 

 principal fertilizer used. The small farmers who plant only about an acre or two of 

 cane use cow-pen manure and cotton-seed meal. About 30 bushels of cotton seed are 

 used per acre and from 400 to 800 pounds of commercial fertili/rr. When cotton seed 

 is applied it is used as bedding for cattle before planting time. A deep furrow is 

 plowed, in which the fertilizer is placed. The seed cane is cut into pieces of three 

 joints each and dropped into the row about 3 inches apart and covered with a lister. 

 After the cane comes up some farmers put in an additional amount <>f fertilizer at the 

 sides of the row, and when the cane is laid by another application is sometimes 

 made in the middle of the row. When the fertili/or is put in the row before plant- 

 ing it is usually mixed with the soil by running a plow thnmirh it before the seed 



