SUGAR-CANE CULTURE FOR SIRUP PRODUCTION. 37 



Breaking the land (1 man and 2 mules with a turnplow, about 3 acres 



a day) ; cost per acre .$0.7:1 



Laying off the land (running occasional guide lines along hill slopes by 

 the use of a farm level, leveling rod, and marker, 1 man at $2 a day, 

 2 men and a mule at 75 cents each per uay) ; total $4.25 a day (to lay 

 off about 30 acres) ; cost per acre .15 



Opening the furrow (with a spacing rod attached to the beam of the 

 middle breaker, or judging the distance between rows by the eye, 1 man 

 at $1 a day with 2 mules) ; total $2.50 a day (to open the furrows of 

 about 7 acres); cost per acre .35 



Planting (stalks not cut in short lengths nor diseased parts trimmed off, 

 with 5 women to take the cane from the banks and strip it, 1 man and 

 2 mules to haul it, 6 women to drop it in the furrows, 1 man and 1 mule 

 to cover, 2 overseers at $1.50 and $2, respectively) ; total $12.75 a day 

 (to plant about 5 acres) ; cost per acre 2.55 



Commercial fertilizer, 9-2-3 mixture (first application, 800 pounds per 

 acre in the furrow at planting ; second application, 500 pounds during 

 cultivation; third application, 500 pounds at laying-by time); total 

 1,800 pounds, at $22.50 per ton 20.25 



Distributing the fertilizer by hand (with 2 men and 2 mules hauling and 

 2 boys and 2 women distributing) ; total $5 a day (to cover 6 acres at 

 each distribution) ; expense per acre (3X& of $5) 2.50 



Summarizing the above, together with the other items involved, 

 the cost per acre is shown to be as follows: 



Rental of land $2.50 



Breaking the land . 75 



Harrowing . 25 



Laying off guide rows . 15 



Opening the furrows . 35 



Preparing, hauling, and planting the cane 2. 55 



Cane, 5 feet long, 2,000 stalks, at $5 per 1,000 10. 00 



Fertilizer, 1,800 pounds, at $22.50 per ton 20. 25 



Hoeing twice by hand 1. 00 



Cultivating 6 times 2.00 



Distributing fertilizer 3 times 2. 50 



Harvesting 5. 00 



Hauling « 5. 00 



Additional time of overseers 2. 00 



Total cost per acre of cane delivered at mill 54. 30 



SUPPLEMENTARY CONSIDERATIONS. 



The estimates of a farmer in northern Florida who computed rent, 

 labor, and seed cane much higher and fertilizer lower give a total 

 of $69 an acre. 



On smaller farms where the farmer and his family do much of 

 the work the cost per acre will be about the same if reasonable 

 wages are allowed for their time. 



The total cost of production will be changed but little if seasonal 

 conditions cause the yield to be extra small or extra large. Only the 

 harvesting and hauling expenses would be decreased or increased. 



