SUGAE-CAXE CULTURE FOR SIRUP PRODUCTION. 43 
increase the profits. There is jet another phase of the industry that 
merits consideration while striving to increase profits, viz, the utiliza- 
tion of by-products. 
UTILIZATION OF BY-PRODUCTS. 
There are three by-products: (1) The leaves 'and tops. (2) the 
bagasse (pomace, or mash), and (3) the skimmings, all three of 
which are almost completely wasted under present practices. 
The leaves and tops, removed from the cane at harvesting, are 
usually allowed to remain in the field until they become dry and are 
then burned. The production of tops per acre, if weighed fresh, is 
3 to 4 tons. To a small extent they afford pasturage to stock, but 
as a rule they soon become weathered and worthless for feed. Some 
attempts have been made at curing the tops to feed in the winter, 
- ' / t 
SR9rllK*ftfeMi 
Fig. 18. — A silo in Louisiana built especially for sugar-cane tops. 
but the weather conditions are usually unfavorable unless the farmer 
has shelter in which to cure them. A more hopeful method of pre- 
serving them is by making ensilage of them. (Fig. 18.) At the 
experiment field at Cairo, Ga., experiments were conducted during 
the last two years which indicate that siloing for feed is an excellent 
way to utilize the tops. The cattle took the silage readily and 
thrived on it. The chemical analysis showed it to be but little in- 
ferior to silage from whole corn in nutritive value. A characteristic 
sample upon analysis gave percentages as follows: Moisture, 75; 
ash, 1.71; crude protein, 1.93; crude fiber, 9.23; ether extract, 0.47; 
nitrogen-free extract, 11.66. The acidity, normal alkali per kilo, 
was 124 c. c. The shortage of available roughage for winter feeding 
in the cane- sirup sections makes this silage more valuable than its 
chemical composition would indicate. To assure good silage from 
the cane tops the silo should be filled before the cane is frosted. In 
