March, 1909.] 



233 



EDIBLE PRODUCTS. 



SUGAR CANE CULTIVATION. 



Practical Information for 

 Beginners. 



We have received a considerable num- 

 ber of requests during 1 the last few 

 months, more particularly from persons 

 who have taken up some of the new 

 sugar lands on the Zululand coast, for 

 information with regard to sugar-cane 

 growing, and, in accordance with these 

 requests, we have pleasure in publishing 

 some of the most useful of the infor- 

 mation which we have immediately 

 available. In the February and March, 

 1905, issues of the Joximal there were two 

 instalments of an interesting article by 

 Messrs. A. N. Pearson and Alex. Pardy, 

 on " The Sugar Industry of Natal," and 

 in the course of that article some 

 practical information was given with 

 regard to the preparation of the soil, 

 manuring, planting, weeding and trash- 

 ing, harvesting, etc. Those issues of the 

 Journal are, however, now out of print, 

 and we accordingly republish such of 

 the information given as will be of most 

 practical value to beginners and others. 



In early issues of the Journal further 

 articles on sugar-cane cultivation will 

 appear. 



Varieties of Cane. 

 Besides the Green Natal, supposed to 

 be indigenous, many imported varieties 

 of cane have been introduced. At one 

 time a variety known as China cane was 

 extensively grown, but it suddenly 

 succumbed to a species of smut, Ustilago 

 sacchari, and had to be discarded. The 

 other varieties tried are principally 

 Lousier, Fotiogo, Bois-rouge, Imperial, 

 Tamarand and Belle-ougete, said to be 

 from Mauritius; Ribbon, Bourbon Yellow 

 and Bourbon Purple, probably from 

 Bourbon ; also White Queen (one of the 

 best in good seasons), Port Mackay, Gold 

 Dust (white and red), and Rose Bamboo, 

 None of these are now generally 

 cultivated ; they have almost every- 

 where been supplanted by a variety the 

 correct name of which is unknown, but 

 which is here called Uba, a name, it is 

 said, formed of the only letters remain- 

 ing legible on a damaged label attached 

 to the variety on its first arrival in the 

 country. Mr. Medley Wood thinks it 

 was introduced by Governor Sir Charles 

 Mitchell, who, on returning from a visit 

 to India in 1884-5, brought two Wardian 

 causes containing cane plants, only three 

 of which were alive. These were pro- 

 pagated by Mr. Wood, the resulting 

 30 



plants being given to Mr. Anthony 

 Wilkinson. It is generally admitted, 

 however, that this cane was introduced 

 in quantity by Mr. De Pass of the 

 Reunion Estate. From a milling point 

 of view, this cane is undesirable ; it is 

 thin, tough, wiry and fibrous, and the 

 juice, it is said, needs special care in the 

 treatment ; mill managers say that from 

 10 to 30 per cent, more mill power is 

 required for this cane than for any other 

 variety. But the planters like it, since 

 it endures the uncertainty of the Natal 

 climate better than any other variety yet 

 tried ; it is hardy, bears frost and 

 drought, stools prolific-ally, recovers 

 readily from locust attacks, is subject to 

 no fungus pests, and but little damaged 

 by white ants and the borer. It is 

 successfully grown on the highlands of 

 the interior as forage for cattle. 



Within the last few years several 

 varieties have been introduced from the 

 West Indies, British Guinea, Mauritius, 

 Queensland and Honolulu, the Depart- 

 ment of Agriculture having co-operated 

 with the planters for their importation. 

 The Inanda Association have taken a 

 leading part in this movement, and 

 several of the canes have been propagated 

 for distribution on their behalf by Mr. 

 H. W. James, of Verulam. Some of those 

 from the West Indies ware sampled by 

 the Department of Agriculture and 

 analysed. 



Hitherto it has not been the custom to 

 analyse Natal canes, the chemist, in fact, 

 being but little recognised by the in- 

 dustry, and therefore no exact com- 

 parisons of the juice of the different 

 varieties as grown in Natal can be made. 

 The following few statements of analysis 

 are, however, available :— 



Uba Cane. 

 Average. 



Total solids in 



juice (per cent.) ... 20'32 

 Sucrose (per cent.) ... 18 61 

 Glucose (per cent.) ... '18 

 Non-sugars (per cent) 1"53 

 Glucose ratio ... P00 



Purity ... 916° 



Per cent, of juice in 



cane ... 81-28 



Per cent of fibre in 



cane ... 15*72 



The above analyses show 

 portion of fibre in the cane, 

 no inferiority in the juice ; 

 quality of the juice, so far 

 by analysis, would not be 

 passed anywhere. 



Maximum. 



22-79 

 20-79 

 •27 

 1-73 

 1-30 

 91-2° 



17-70 

 a large pro- 

 but indicate 

 in fact, the 

 as disclosed 

 readily sur- 



