i. Timehri. 



The places of origin of the canes at present under cultivation in 



In and prior to 1897 it was generally assumed that the mauurial 

 requirements of all varieties of sugar-cane were similar ; although the ex- 

 perience of certain planters in Barbados in the late eighties had shown 

 them that the White, Purple, and Ribbon Transparent canes required, 

 and made use of, higher dressings of sulphate of ammonia and of nitrate of 

 soda per acre than could be safely and economically applied to the 

 Bourbon. In 1901 a new departure was undertaken, the mauurial require- 

 ments of each promising variety of cane being enquired into. A system 

 was evolved during the next few years b} r which mauurial experiments 

 were merged into and became part of the scheme for raising and testing 

 new varieties of sugar-cane. Each year the mammal requirements of a 

 considerable number of varieties are being ascertained. The demand for 

 phosphates appears to be very similar among all the varieties under trial 

 up to the present, (over 100). It is not possible on our heavy clay 

 soils to determine the demands of the varieties for mauurial potash. On 

 soils containing proportions of potash lower than our experimental fields 

 do, without doubt the varying requirements of the different kinds for 

 inanurial potash is of high importance and may prove to be the governing 

 factor, second only to nitrogen, in their sugar-producing power. Hie 

 dema d for nitrogen and the power that various kinds of canes have for 

 its utilis dion have been proved to differ very markedly. 



Plaaters do not always realise that their work lies in utilizing the 

 nitrogen available in soil, rain and especially in manures in the conversion 

 of the carbonic acid gas of the air iuto sugar and thus that the power of 

 various varieties of canes to do this is to them a matter of the utmost 

 importance. For instance under the usual climatic conditions here, one 

 ton of sulphate of ammonia under ordinary conditions of cultivation and 

 of factory recovery when used with certain varieties of sugar-cane can 

 produce commercial sugar at the following rates : — 



Cakes. Sugar. 



Tons. 



D 419 ... ... ... 5 to 6 



D 625 ... .. ... 4 „ 5 



D 145 ... ... Si „ H 



D 118 ... ... ... 3 „ 4 



Bourbon prior to 1897 ... ... 6 ,,7 



Bourbon 1897 ouwardt ... ... 3 ,, 4 



B 208 and similar varieties ... ... 2 „ 3 



