SUGAR-CANE 505 



as practicable and at the rate of 1 to 3 bushels per 

 acre. 



Second year : Sugar-cane from planted canes. 



Third year: Sugar-cane from the old stubble. If the 

 stand of stubble is good and the land very rich, a third 

 crop of sugar-cane may be harvested, this also springing 

 from the old stubble. 



The Louisiana Sugar Experiment Station found that 

 when the entire growth of cowpeas was plowed under as 

 usual, the subsequent yield was larger by 7.4 tons of cane 

 per acre than where only the stubble of the cowpeas was 

 used as fertilizer. 



In the pine-belt north of Florida, annual planting of sugar- 

 cane is generally necessary. In this region sugar-cane 

 should usually be preceded either by the Iron variety of 

 cowpeas or by a crop of velvet beans (Fig. 211), plowed 

 under for fertihzer. Since the sugar-cane plant is attacked 

 by nematode worms, this plant should not be grown on 

 land where nematode worms and cotton wilt are found. 

 (See paragraphs 385 and 380.) 



Varieties 



489. Standard varieties. — By far the most popular 

 variety in the pine-belt is the purple or red cane. The 

 striped, or true ribbon cane, is used to a limited extent. 

 For sale in the local markets for chewing, the green variety 

 is most popular, and the single stalks of this usually sell 

 at about double the price of other kinds. Green cane is 

 but httle used for sirup-making, (1) because this variety 

 matures later than purple cane, and the yield of sirup is 

 believed to be less ; (2) because green cane is more easily 



