4 
BULLETIN 746, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
Table I. — Analysis of sugar cane (D. 74) to determine effect on sugar content of 
the borer injury to cane — Continued. 
RESULTS OF ABOVE ANALYSIS FIGURED ON A BASIS OF 1 TON OF CANE TO THE 
SAMPLE. 
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sample. 
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r a ~ 
< 
Lbs. 
Lbs. 
Z&S. 
£6s. 
Lbs. 
Z5.s. 
Z6a. 
Lbs. 
Lbs. 
i6s. 
Zfe. 
P.ct. 
1 
Borer-free 
Medium in- 
2,000 
1,222 
20S.96 
19.55 
13.44 
175.97 
2 
fested 
2,000 
1,216 
6 
195.77 
13.19 
20.67 
1.12 
14.59 
1.15 
160.51 
15.46 
8.7S 
3 
Heavily in- 
fested 
2,000 
1,176 
46 
161.11 
47. So 
24.69 
5.14 
21.17 
7.73 
115.25 
60.72 
34.51 
He summarizes his results as follows: 
The sugar-cane borer damages cane in the field by destroying a considerable 
percentage of the eyes, thus reducing the stand of plant cane ; by stunting the 
growth of the cane, owing to the physical injury of the stem ; by admitting 
fungous diseases . through the wounds in the stem ; and is the main cause of 
injury by the wind, owing to the weakening of the stalk due to the tunnels 
and burrows. These classes of injury have been appreciated by planters. It 
now develops that there is another and very important class of injury which 
has been overlooked. This is the reduction of both the quantity and quality 
of the juice, which is dealt with specially in this circular. It becomes evident 
that both the planters and the manufacturers are vitally interested in the work 
of the sugar-cane borer. 
Mr. Van Dine states : 
There is a direct loss in sugar and a decided reduction in the purity of the 
juice of cane infested by the moth stalkborer. This loss in Porto Rico exceeds 
670 pounds of sugar per acre of cane in which the infestation was not apparent 
except upon examination, the yield averaging 41 tons of cane per acre and the 
stalks being normal and healthy in appearance. The loss increases in direct 
proportion to the number of joints of the cane stalks infested by the borer. 
There is more fiber and less juice in borer-infested cane. The actual weight of 
borer- infested cane is less than that of sound cane, and it is considered that 
the juice deteriorates more rapidly in infested cane when cane is allowed to 
stand without being crushed for any length of time after harvest. 
In the early bulletin on the moth borer by Dr. W. C. Stubbs and 
Prof. H. A. Morgan (152) it is found that after the borer became 
established on Belle ■ Alliance Plantation, in Louisiana, there was 
" a falling off of -±.98 tons per acre and about 25 pounds of sugar per 
ton." From the figures given in that bulletin it is calculated that an 
average yield of 3,455 pounds of sugar per acre accrued on Belle 
Alliance Plantation before the borer made its appearance, whereas 
the average yield thereafter was only 2,393 pounds per acre. The 
loss in sugar from these figures would be 1,061 pounds per acre. 
At 4.35 cents per pound, which is given as the average price of 
(white) sugar for three years, the annual money loss per acre due to 
the moth borer would be $16.15. At the present ruling prices the 
loss would be correspondingly greater. 
