SUGAR CANE 4^ 



in sugar cane has been exceeded in sugar beets and even in 

 some of the saccharine sorghums. For this reason, it has been 

 felt that possibly long-continued selection might result in an 

 increase in the sucrose content. Some increase in the sugar 

 content has been brought about in Java by a process of chem- 

 ical selection. In this work seed sticks were selected from 

 canes showing the highest percentage of sugar. So far as 

 may be judged by experiments thus far carried on, however, 

 there is little prospect of greatly increasing the sugar content 

 of cane. The average sugar content of Louisiana cane is about 

 13.5 per cent. The sugar content diminishes from the base 

 to the tip of the cane. Since it is the common practice to use 

 the upper part of the cane for seed purposes, certain experi- 

 ments have been carried on to determine whether such prac- 

 tice is calculated gradually to reduce the percentage of sugar in 

 the cane. These experiments have indicated little, if any, 

 advantage from planting the lower segments of cane over the 

 use of the upper segments of the stalk. 



The extreme geographical limits of cane at present are 37° 

 N. in Spain and 37° S. in New Zealand. The higher the tem- 

 perature the faster the growth and the longer and thicker the 

 internodes. This applies almost without exception in all sugar- 

 producing countries. In Demerara, with an almost constant 

 equatorial temperature, only 270 days are required from plant- 

 ing to tasseling. In Hawaii, on the other hand, 500 days are 

 required for the same stages of growth. The length of time 

 required for sugar cane to reach maturity varies greatly in 

 dififerent parts of Hawaii according to altitude and the amount 

 of rainfall and sunshine. In general, the variation is from 18 

 months to 2j^ years. 



On account of the cool winter weather in Louisiana, cane 

 must be harvested in an immature condition. The juice is 

 therefore impure, containing a high amount of reducing sugar 

 and being relatively low in sucrose. The same condition, how- 

 ever, is also found in equatorial regions where the tempera- 



