26 



r.n.u tin 4^(1, r. s. dki-artmkxt or agriculture. 



to unload the cane at the mill or at the held railway by the use of 

 power hoists. 



A light frost on the cane may kill the leaves without seriously 

 damaging: the cane except to check its growth. A somewhat heavier 

 frost that kills the growing tip and the eyes renders the cane 

 worthless for planting, but occasions no serious loss for sugar or sirup 

 manufacture if the cane is not left standing in the field very long. 

 Fermentation proceeds but slowly from the injured tips and eyes, 

 resulting in no serious deterioration if harvesting is delayed even 

 for a week or two. If, however, a hard freeze, sufficient to freeze the 

 interior of the stalks, catches the crop still in the field, then the 

 rind of the stalks is burst open. If warm weather follows and the 

 cane is exposed to it, fermentation beginning along the injured stalks 



will in a very few days cause a sour- 

 ing of the cane to an extent that 

 makes it worthless for either sugar or 

 sirup manufacture. In case of a 

 heavy frost or of a freeze much may 

 be done toward saving the cane or 

 extending the time in which it can 

 be ground profitably by promptly 

 windrowing it. If possible, before the 

 weather turns warm, the cane should 

 be cut and laid in windrows, with 

 the tops overlapping the stalks, the 

 same as in putting away seed cane, 

 but omitting the soil covering. The 

 foliage will then protect the stalks in 

 a measure from the heat of the sun, 

 and fermentation proceeds much more 

 slowly. Windrowing is the more 

 effective if the cane is put down while it and the ground are cold. 

 It is much better if the frost can be anticipated and the cane put in 

 windrows just before the frost. Some deterioration will still take 

 place, but it is relatively small. Of course the possibility of fur- 

 ther growth is sacrificed. It thus occasionally happens that, with 

 weather conditions threatening a freeze, or immediately following 

 a freeze, the plantation manager shuts down the mill and puts all 

 available hands at windrowing cane, working under pressure almost 

 night and day until the cane is all down. It is later stripped out 

 of the windrows and topped as fast as the mill can work it up. If 

 the cane is not badly frozen and time permits, it is more economical 

 and equally effective in protecting the cane to strip, top, and cut it, 

 drop it in small heaps, and cover it with trash until it can be milled. 



Fig. 13. — Harvesting tools used in 

 Georgia and Florida : a, a, Strip- 

 ping tools ; b, cane knife ; c, hoe. 



