24 
BULLETIN 35. PUERTO Kl< E \ I'KKIMKNT STATION 
The bigfc cane production obtainable in ratoons of P.O.J. 2878 at 
Coloso is illustrated in figure 4. This 22-acre field of 14-month-old 
ratoons gave an average yield in 1931 of 47 tons of cane per acre, ■ 
very high production for ratoonfl in this district. Note the i 
growth and sparse arrowing, both of which character- give P.O.. I. 
2878 marked advantages over P.O.. I 27 
Varietal adaptability (it lsabela. — At Lsabela the subsoil is bo porous 
that water filters rapidly from the surface. This fact and the drying 
effect of an almost continuous wind render irrigation water inadequate 
during periods of low rainfall. S.C. 12/4 and other susceptible 
varieties become heavily infected with mosaic and must he r< 
out, thus increasing planting costs. Hence, drought and mosaic are 
Figure 4— P.O.J. 2878 made splendid growth in a long first-ratoon crop at Coloso. Photographed 
December 19. 1930. 
the chief limiting factors for cane at lsabela. A prolific, drought- 
resistant variety that will cover the ground rapidly and resist mosaic 
is needed. Very late and sparse arrowing is another desirable 
character. 
B.H. 10(12) is not suited to the lsabela district and almost in- 
variably fails there. The early arrowing habit of P.O.J. 272") is 
objectionable; ratoons of tliis variety will arrow profusely at lsabela 
when the canes are not more than 1.2 to 1.5 meters (4 to 5 feet) tall. 
Even late harvest in May will not prevent arrowing in ratoons. The 
only varieties that have met with any favor are the mosaic-resistant, 
late-arrowing, P.O.J. 2878, and the mosaic-susceptible, sparse-arrow- 
ing, S.C. 12/4. No variety trials are available to demonstrate the 
relative sugar productions of these two varieties. Cane growers 
plant one or the other of them depending on whether heavy replanting 
costs in the first ratoons of S.C. 12/4 are more of a drawback than is 
the somewhat lower percentage of sugar in cane of P.O.J. 2878. 
Neither of these varieties is considered satisfactory*. The difficulty 
