606 



SUGAR-CANE 



SUGAR-CANE 



applied slightly below the surface of the soil, where 

 the conditions are favorable for their decomposi- 

 tion. 



Lime is used extensively as a manure in nearly 

 allcane-growing regions. It is used in large quan- 

 tities in the mill and appears in the by-products, 

 which are applied to the soil, mixed with other 

 ingredients to form fertilizers. Natural lime in the 

 form of limestone is also applied, as is also quick- 

 lime. Many tropical soils are sufficiently rich in 

 humus to permit the free use of lime, and its use is 

 beneficial in connection with potash compounds. 

 Recently, a modification of the application of lime 

 has been recommended to counteract the accumu- 

 lation of those fungous pests of the cane that 

 inhabit the soil, — the pests that have been called 

 "root-disease." In these cases the lime is applied 

 unslaked, or partially slaked, and is applied only to 

 the bases of the ratoon stubble a few days or 

 weeks before plowing out the latter. The after-cul- 

 ture is calculated to spread the lime through the 

 soil, and it then exercises its customary manurial 

 effects in proportion to the perfection of the dis- 

 tribution. 



Seed and planting. — The rows of cane-stools are 

 usually four to six feet apart, five feet being a 

 common distance. The aim in planting is to pro- 

 duce a stool of cane at about every two feet in the 

 row. In the hill-planting system the distances are 

 greater. The planting varies widely in various 

 regions, according to the way the seed is prepared. 

 In some localities great carelessness prevails in the 

 preparation of the seed, so that it is necessary to 

 allow for the failure of a large proportion of the 

 eyes. In such cases the planting is nearer together 

 than when the seed is more carefully prepared and 

 gives a better percentage of germination. In any 

 case, it is the general practice to replant all the 

 failures so as to secure as even a stand as possible. 



The practice in reference to seed varies from 

 planting whole cane to the planting of a single eye 

 every eighteen inches to two feet. It is most com- 

 mon to lay the seed-cane horizontally in a row, with 

 the eyes facing laterally so that in sprouting the 

 shoot from each eye grows at first horizontally and 

 then turns upward. As it is usual to have more 

 than one eye on each cutting or set, this position 

 gives all the eyes the same opportunity. The 

 method gives to the roots on the upper side of the 

 cutting small opportunity to succeed, those on the 

 under side only having a fair opportunity. Another 

 method is to place the cuttings on a slant of about 

 40°, with the end protruding from the soil. Still 

 another method is to set the cuttings vertically in 

 the soil, with the end protruding, the protruding 

 end, of course, being always the upper end of the 

 cutting. These latter methods are used when the 

 cuttings, are grouped in "hills," or when it is desired 

 to secure a specially good or quick germination. 



In regions where the cold season is so severe 

 that all the cane has to be cut before winter, the 

 planting is sometimes done in the spring. This 

 necessitates preserving the cane-stalks over winter. 

 This is done by a process that may be compared to 

 the first stages of ensiling. The stalks with the 



leaves left on, are cut and covered in some way so 

 as to keep them cool and moist, but not wet. The 

 stalks are sometimes laid in piles and the trash of 

 the cane used as a cover to keep out the excess of 

 cold and to prevent too rapid evaporation. Another 

 method is to windrow the cane. The stalks, with 

 the leaves on, are laid on the ground between the 

 rows and so arranged that the leaves completely 

 cover the stalks. The rows of stalks thus arranged 

 are covered over by plowing furrows on either 

 side and turning the soil onto the cut cane. The 

 covering is completed by hand. Where the plowing 

 cannot well be done because of dryness, it is cus- 

 tomary to complete the operation with rollers so as 

 to pulverize the lumps and compact the soil above 

 the cane-stalks. When this operation is favored by 

 the season, it results in well-preserved seed-cane 

 for the spring-planting. Often, however, owing to 

 the nature of the season, there is a severe loss of 

 seed-cane so treated. These methods all have their 

 advantages and their disadvantages, although the 

 most widely prevailing practice is that first 

 described. 



The seed is very lightly covered where irrigation 

 is practiced, the covering being half an inch to one 

 inch. The covering is greater where cane is grown 

 with the natural rainfall, although even here the 

 covering is light. The germination and growth of 

 the seed requires for its best result strong heat, 

 and moisture represented by at least two inches of 

 rainfall per week. In regions where diseases of 

 cane are common, it is best to preserve the cuttings 

 from contact with any trash from the previous 

 crop since trash is liable to contaminate the new 

 crop. As the seed is usually covered by hand, it is 

 possible to do this at a comparatively small cost. 



Of late years a practice of treating the cuttings 

 previous to planting is springing up. This is owing 

 to the attacks of a disease that rots the cuttings 

 before they have opportunity to grow, or at least 

 injures them sufficiently seriously to diminish the 

 stand. This treatment consists in covering either 

 the end alone, or the whole surface of the cutting, 

 with some fungicide. Tar is applied to the ends 

 of the cuttings, or Bordeaux mixture of double 

 strength is used to soak the cuttings for a few 

 minutes or a few hours. Such treatments are use- 

 less unless the seed itself is carefully selected, for, 

 if the cutting is already diseased, such treatment 

 will not save it from further ravages of the dis- 

 ease already established. The treatment simply 

 prevents the rots present in the soil attacking 

 the cuttings as soon as they otherwise would. 



The selection of the seed should begin in the field 

 (i. e., the best cane should be cut for seed) and 

 continue through the process of preparing the 

 seed. All defective seed should be discarded if the 

 best and most profitable results are to be secured. 

 It is best in some localities to grow cane especially 

 for seed, so that at sowing time there will be at 

 hand plant-cane of the right degree of maturity. 

 The question of seed is one whose importance is 

 directly proportional to the frequency of planting. 

 When the cane can be ratooned for a long series of 

 years, the securing of sufficient first-class seed is 



