458 FIELD CROPS 



tons. Various South American countries contributed 643,- 

 000 tons to the world's total, Africa 333,000 tons, and 

 Australasia 247,000 tons. In the United States, the pro- 

 duction of sugar from cane is confined almost entirely to 

 southern Louisiana, though a small quantity is produced in 

 Texas. Sugar cane is grown in small patches in all the 

 Southern states for the production of syrup; it is locally 

 known as "ribbon cane." 



602. Propagation. Sugar cane is propagated from sec- 

 tions of the stalks. When these sections are planted, new 

 stalks grow from the buds at the base of each leaf. There is 

 considerable difference in the freedom with which different 

 varieties grow from these buds; some grow from buds any- 

 where on the stalk, others only from those near the top. 

 The cane is usually cut into sections containing one or more 

 buds, but sometimes the whole cane is planted. As the food 

 stored in the stalk is used by the young plant till it becomes 

 established, it is desirable to have the stalk in as good con- 

 dition as possible. The canes of some varieties are very 

 brittle and crack readily when cut, allowing disease and 

 decay to enter, hence the planting of the entire stalk to 

 avoid this loss. The tops are best for propagation as they 

 grow most readily and crack less. 



In sections where frosts do not occur, the crop can be 

 grown from the old stools for several years by splitting them 

 into sections with a sharp plow or a tool specially devised 

 for the purpose. In the southern United States, it is neces- 

 sary to protect the canes from frost by cutting them in the 

 fall and storing them over winter in a moist, cool place. 

 The location should not be wet enough to cause the stalks to 

 rot, nor cold enough so that they will freeze. The stalks 

 are usually laid in piles and covered with the leaves which 

 have been stripped from them. Sometimes they are laid 



