9 



Figure i. — Rainfall at Fajakdo. 



(The numbers indicate inches of rainfall). 



Taking the average of 13 years, the spring drouth begins in 

 December and ends in May, followed in many cases by shorter periods 

 of small rainfall in June and July. October and Novemljer are almost 

 always wet, and September is usually so 



It is fortunate that the drouth in the spring comes at the time 

 when the cane is being harvested, otherwise harvesting would be 

 difficult, but fall plant cane gets a check to its growth from which it 

 is often difficult to recover. "With a convenient system of irrigation 

 this cane could be kept growing until the summer rains come. With 

 irrigation one could also give a quicker start to the ratoons in the 

 spring. But to my mind the greatest damage is done in the years of 

 summer drouths, and especially those, as in 1904, 1907, 1908 and 1912, 

 which are preceeded by dry spring months. 



This is a period when the cane should be in full growth, fall plant 

 as well as spring plant and ratoons. It is the hottest time of the year, 

 plant growth is most active, evaporation from the plant and from the 

 soil is the greatest, in fact the time when the greatest drain is made 

 on the soil moisture. 



You might say that this is the critical period of the year, which 

 in a large measure determines what the next crop shall be. 



