SUGAR-CANE 485 



464. Leaves. — The leaves of sugar-cane are broad and 

 long, sometimes reaching a length of three feet. In some 

 varieties minute prickles occur on the leaves, making the 

 harvesting of the crop disagreeable. The leaves have a 

 central midrib, which gives a moderate degree of stiffness 

 to the lower part of the leaf-blade. 



The leaf of the sugar-cane, like that of corn, has special 

 cells which, when the supply of water is not sufficient, 

 roll it together, thus reducing the loss of moisture. The 

 leaf-sheath, or part that folds around the stem, serves 

 to protect the bud, or eye, which it incloses. As the plant 

 matures, the leaves unclasp from the stem and hang loosely 

 or fall. The falling of any leaf is regarded as an indication 

 of the maturity of the internode next below this leaf. 



In the cells of the leaves the green coloring matter 

 during daylight manufactures starch from the carbonic 

 acid gas of the air and the water brought from the roots. 

 This starch is then changed and conveyed to all parts of 

 the plant, a large part of it being finally deposited in the 

 pith cells of the stem in the form of sugar. Thus, sugar, 

 the valuable product of cane, is made up almost entirely 

 of water and of a gas occurring in abundance in the air ; 

 if only sugar were removed from the land there would be 

 practically no exhaustion of the plant-food by the growing 

 of sugar-cane. 



465. Roots. — A small part of the main stem of cane 

 is below the surface of the ground, connected below either 

 with the cane that was planted or with another cane, 

 from one bud of which it grew. The nodes, and hence 

 the buds, on this underground part of the stem are very 

 close together, making it possible for a number of stems 



