464 Canadian Record of Science. 
In appearance, the cane is a plant with a knotty stalk 
surmounted by a bunch of leaves, and from six to ten feet 
high. At each joint or knot, there is a leaf and an inner 
joint. The number of joints in the stalk varies from forty 
to eighty, and these joints are peculiar structures which it 
is difficult to describe clearly without proper diagrams. 
They are the parts in which the juice is perfected, and each 
encloses the germ of a new cane. The cane is propagated in 
the same way as potatoes, by means of these eyes or joints, 
as up to now no sugar cane has been known to perfect its 
own seed. The cuttings are taken from the most healthy 
canes and usually from near the top. They are planted 
very carefully in straight rows some two or three feet apart, 
and begin to sprout in about a fortnight. They are then 
carefully banked with earth from time to time as they grow, 
until there is a little hill all round the cane very much like 
the way our own Indian corn is treated. At the same time 
weeding and trashing is carried on, the latter operation 
being the removal of all dead leaves and suckers—a most 
important point. 
There is another method of propagation which ought to 
be mentioned, namely rattooning. This is merely allowing 
the new cane to sprout up from the old root or stool as it 
is called. It is remarkable that in some countries as in 
Bengal, good rattoons are never seen, while in Jamaica all 
canes are re-produced in this way. It entails a smaller 
yield but a surer crop. In harvesting, the canes are cut as 
close to the stool as possible, the leaves and tops discarded, 
the rat-eaten canes put aside, and the sound ones trans- 
ported to the mill. This is done, usually, by horses or 
mules but often wire tramways stretch across the planta- 
tions, or navigable trenches are laid out on which flat boats 
are propelled and the cane conveyed on them. 
The yield per acre of cane, varies a good deal in different 
countries. About 25 tons in Louisiana is a good crop, 
while in Barbadoes 30 tons is common. 
Canes contain all the way from six to twenty-four per 
cent. of sugar and may be said to be richer as a rule than 
sugar beets. 
