30 



THE CUBA REVIEW. 



acre, while the change of sulphate of 

 ammonia for nitrate of soda on the ni- 

 trate plots practically did not afifect the 

 yield. These are the results of only one 

 series of experiments, but the apparent 

 ill-effects of long-continued nitrogenous 

 manurings were far more noticeable 

 when nitrate of soda had been contin- 

 uously used than where sulphate of am- 

 monia had been, and indicated that on 

 very heavy clay soils, under tropical 

 meteorological conditions, the defloccu- 

 lation caused by long-continued dressings 

 of nitrate of soda is likely to prove more 

 injurious to the soil than is the sour- 

 ing action of sulphate of ammonia. The 

 results also suggest that the injurious ef- 

 fects of nitrate of soda are more marked 

 on limed land than on non-limed land, 

 probably due to the liberation of free 

 alkali in the soils during the defloccula- 

 tion caused by the nitrate of soda. 

 Where soils have been manured contin- 

 uously for from thirty to fifty years with 

 sulphate of ammonia, its souring action 

 may have become marked, and decreases 

 in yields may have resulted therefrom. 

 A cure for sourness lies in an application 

 of lime, and not solely in changing the 

 use of sulphate of ammonia to one of ni- 

 trate of soda. Manurial experiments 

 with phosphates showed results that con- 

 firm the conclusion arrived at, that if a 

 heavy clay soil in British Guiana yields 

 more than .008 per cent, of phosphoric 

 acid to 1 per cent, citric acid solution 

 under conditions of continuous shaking 

 for li\e hours, manuring with prosphates 

 in all probability will not produce com- 

 mensurately increased yields of sugar- 

 cane. 



The manurial experiments indicate 

 that a normal application of farmyard 

 manure plus nitrogenous artificials is to 

 be recommended, and that such manurial 

 treatment gives better results than those 

 given by additional applications of farm- 

 yard manure to the normal quantity ap- 

 plied on the estates. The application of 

 phosphatic and potassic manures had 

 given varied results, and, in some in- 

 stances, notable increases of yield were 

 recorded. — Tropical Life, London. 



Soils and Fertilizers for Cane in Haw^aian 

 Sugar Districts. 



The analysis of the various soils shows 

 a rather marked deficiency of potash and 

 lime. This probably applies not only 

 to the total quantity of plant food, but 

 to the available amounts as well. Most 

 of the soils show a comparatively large 

 amount of nitrogen, which, however, is 

 not always available for absorption by 

 the stools. The same may be said of 

 phosphoric acid, the application of which 

 in the form of a fertilizer increases the 



yields of crops. The use of fertilizers 

 has greatly increased, and the practices 

 as regards their use have undergone con- 

 siderable change during the development 

 of the sugar industry. Where formerly 

 planters used to call for an application 

 of fertilizers containing 4 per cent, am- 

 monia (regardless of its source), 5 per 

 cent, potash, and from 8 to 10 per cent, 

 available phosphoric acid, the demand 

 is now for a fertilizer containing larger 

 relative amounts of both potash and ni- 

 trogen. The opinion that the use of fer- 

 tilizers has been profitable is confirmed 

 by the fact that not only has the total 

 percentage of sucrose increased where 

 a fertilizer has been used, but the ton- 

 nage per acre increased during six years 

 from 6,300 lbs. of sugar per acre to 4^ 

 tons (10,080 lbs.) per acre. Due credit 

 applies in this gratifying increase to the 

 more careful cultivation practiced. — F. T. 

 Crawley, in Louisiana Sugar Planter. 



Cane Under Irrigation. 



Director J. F. Crawley, of the Agricul- 

 tural Experiment Station of Cuba, has pre- 

 pared a table showing the rainfall of the 

 island and this is being tabulated. 



When this table is in the hands of the 

 planters of sugar cane, it will be the means 

 of showing them how necessary it is to 



EVERY Railway Manager, Engineer, 

 "Wharf Owner, Sugar Planter, Con- 

 tractor or other intelligent Citizen, 

 knows that WOOD if unpreserved, ROTS, 

 especially in tropical climates, and that the 

 Teredo Navalis and the Limnoria will 

 honeycomb piles in salt water in two years. 

 The only remedy is thorough 



CREOSOTING 



The U.S. Bureau of Forestry says : "Well Creosoted 

 Wood Will Last Indefinitely." 



WE FURNISH THE FOLLOWING 

 Railroad and Street Railway Ties, Bridge 

 Piling and Timbers, Derrick and Cane 

 Hoist Timbers, Telephone and Tele- 

 graph Poles and Cross Arms, 

 Posts of All Kinds. 



Timbers Framed to Blue Print 



All of the above preserved against rot, and 

 the attack of the Teredo and Limnoria. 



We Solicit Export to Any Port 



We Ship by Steamer or Schooner, Large or Small Orders 



SHIPPING PORTS, MOBILE, GULFPORT, OR NEW ORLEANS 



Capacity 2,000,000 ft. b. m. per month 



A LARGE, NEW, MODERN PLANT 



Gulfport Creosoting: CO. 



GUI^KFORX, 1»IISS. 



