12 THE CANADIAN HOETICULTUItlST. 



It should have been stated that since the African and Chinese canes 

 have been grown in America they have either been naturally hybridized 

 or have become changed by climate, and the variety now foitud to 

 contain the greatest amount of saccharine matter is the Early Amber, 

 a variety originating in Minnesota. 



Tlie best soils for its cultivation are the same as those for corn, warm 

 upland sandy plains; low ground, and such as have been recently 

 manured, should be avoided. The mode of planting for sugar cane is 

 the same as for com; that is, in check rows made with the plough four 

 feet apart each way. The time of planting is also the same, that is, 

 when warm weather sets in and all danger of frost is passed. During 

 the growing season the ground must be kept clear of weeds, and the 

 suckers removed from the plants. When the seed is ripe or nearly so 

 the cane should be cut. If tlie season is ordinarly hot the time for 

 cutting will be about the first week in September. After cutting, the 

 the cane should be left in windro^\'S in the fiehl for a week or ten days 

 to cure. After this, if not wanted to work up, it should be placed 

 under shelter, but if possible should not be allowed to get wet or be 

 exposed to frost, as either of these spoil tlie color of the syrup and 

 sugar, though they do not materially injure it. The leaves must be 

 stripped from the cane before using ; this is usually done by placing 

 two or three hills of cane on a raking bo^rd, one end of which rests on 

 the ground, the other on a tressel, and whilst one man holds the tops, 

 another rakes down the cane with a steel toothed rake, and by this 

 j>rocess all the leaves are removed. The man holding the tops then 

 cuts them off with a heavy knife, and lays the canes in a pile for 

 future \ise. The leaves make a valuable fodder and the seed an 

 excellent feed, the first equal to the best hay, the latter equal to oats. 

 It requires three men to top and strip an acre per day. The bagasse, 

 or refuse stalks from which the juice has been extracted, also makes a 

 superior food for cattle. It will thus be seen the entire product is 

 available for useful purposes. 



For making sugar and syrup it is necessary that a mill be procured 

 for grinding the cane and pressing the juice, and an evaporator for 

 boiling it down. The average yield of dense syrup j^er acre is about 

 one hundred and sixty gallons. The appliances generally used are the 

 Victor Cane Mill, made by the Bloymer Manufacturing Company, 

 Cincinnati, Ohio, and the Cook Evaporator. These are made in 



