14 THE CUBA REVIEW 



mean trouble for the future; it would be better to stop the job on the first signs 

 of failure and make a fresh start. A beginner must have an abundance of personal 

 attention and human consideration. At first all labor will insist on walking by the 

 side of the plow instead of riding on the seat, but once taught the safety and 

 advantages of riding they will take to it. It should be remembered that a man's 

 weight on any riding implement is necessary to complete the balance of that machine; 

 without the weight the tool will work inefficiently. 



Cross-Plowing Dispensed With 



Cross-plowing was dispensed with altogether as it was found unnecessary. As 

 soon as the land was plowed the other operations of preparation succeeded each other 

 in rapid succession until the cane was planted. Weeds were not given a chance to 

 start growing until the cane was laid by; and then, of course, they could not grow. 

 These disc plows did smooth, even work. They were set to cut from five to six 

 inches deep and made to function uniformly. The swath of each disc was ten inches. 

 If more than that was attempted it always resulted in disaster or inefficient work. 

 This class of plowing does not leave the soil in large lumps which later have to be 

 cut up by discing. The narrow swaths of the plow slice up the soil and old cane 

 stumps to such an extent that the implements which follow encounter few difficulties. 

 There is no evidence here that deep plowing produces more sugar per acre; there is, 

 however, abundant proof that sudden deep plowing will cause a reduction in the 

 sugar yield. 



Once the land is plowed it is either dragged and disced or dragged alone. The 

 dragging can be done with a 12x4 foot lapped board drag or, if irrigated land, an 

 8x20 level drag. In the case of ordinary land the first method will cost two man-hours 

 and twelve mule-hours p>er acre, while level dragging amounts to three man-hours 

 and eighteen mule-hours per acre. Excellent discing can be done with the ten-foot 

 Emerson double disc. This implement is a sturdily built machine. Twelve mules and 

 one man handle it with ease. It should be weighted with sacks of dirt to leave 

 the soil in fine condition. The amount of weight will depend on conditions, as they 

 vary. The maximum weight necessary is fifteen hundred pounds. The expense of 

 this machine is three man-hours and thirty-six mule hours per acre. 



Cultivation 



New plantings can be given their first cultivation with a ten-foot spiked tooth 

 harrow, dragged across the rows. This same method is used in the first cultivation of 

 corn. One might think the harrow would tear out all the cane, but as a matter of 

 fact it does no harm at all. The teeth of the harrow are set with their angle to the 

 soil well back. The cost of this weeding operation is negligible — one man-hour and 

 two mule-hours per acre. At this stage the cane should not be higher than eight inches. 



The disc harrow is probably the most economical cultivation implement in use 

 on cane. The right kind of machine can be quickly adjusted to many variable 

 conditions. It is very flexible. The best machine used here has a five-foot rectangular 

 frame, with two gangs each of four sixteen-inch discs. It is a reversible riding 

 cultivator made by the Moline Plow Works. The first operation with the disc 

 harrow is to separate the disc gangs for straddling the row. The soil is first thrown 

 away from the cane, with the discs working as close to the row as p>ossible. After 

 that the soil is alternately thrown to and away from the cane. 



Frequency of Cultivation 



The idea in dry farming is to keep the -cultivated area as level as possible. 

 A good rule in the maintenance of tilth is to cultivate often enough to keep the 

 field clear of weeds. If this is done, it follows that the mulch will be maintained. 

 Cultivate after a rain as soon as the soil will work without sticking, or as soon as 

 the dirt will crumble. Do not wait for weeds to appear, but kill them while they 



