SOIL SURVEY OF PINELLAS COUNTY, FLORIDA. 
303 
areas of land well suited to the growing of this crop, and the pro¬ 
duction of sirup on a commercial basis may prove a profitable in¬ 
dustry. The Norfolk fine sand, flat phase, is the best soil of the 
county for the production of sugar cane, the sirup being of excel¬ 
lent quality. The deeper phase of this type produces a very desir¬ 
able sirup, but the yield is not so large, and heavier applications of 
fertilizers are required. Heavy yields of sirup are secured on the 
Portsmouth fine sand, but usually the quality does not equal that pro¬ 
duced on the Norfolk soil. The Parkwood fine sandy loam and silty 
clay loam and the Fellowship fine sandy loam are highly adapted to 
this crop, but as a rule dark-colored soils do not produce as bright 
sirup as lighter colored soils. 
Sugar cane is planted in rows or on ridges, usually 5 feet apart. 
Sections of the cane stalk about 18 inches long are laid end to end 
and then covered with 3 or 4 inches of soil. Planting is usually done 
in January. Various brands of commercial fertilizers are used, as 
well as cottonseed meal and barnyard manure. The time of apply¬ 
ing and the amounts used vary. Some growers apply stable manure 
to the land about two weeks before planting and follow this up with 
1,000 pounds of cottonseed meal per acre, in two equal applications, 
the first half when the cane is sufficiently high to 1 cultivate and the 
remainder when the crop is ready to lay by. 
Another method of procedure in fertilizing sugar cane is to 
apply 800 pounds of commercial fertilizer (analyzing approximately 
7 per cent phosphoric acid, 3 per cent nitrogen, 4 per cent potash) 
at seeding time, followed by two applications, each of 200 pounds, of 
cottonseed meal, when the cane has attained a height of 2 feet and 4 
feet, respectively. Muriate of potash should not be included in cane 
fertilizers on account of its tendency to give the sirup an unpleasant 
chlorine or salty taste. 
The Japanese, Red, and other varieties of sugar cane are grown. 
The yields of sirup range from 250 to 400 gallons per acre, and the 
price varies from 50 to 80 cents a gallon. 
Strawberries do well on the better drained Portsmouth fine sand 
and the Norfolk fine sand, flat phase, and thoroughly drained Muck. 
The demands of the local markets are far from being supplied, and 
the growing of strawberries would prove decidedly profitable. The 
Klondike, Missionary, Lady Thomson (an early variety), Excelsior, 
and other varieties are grown. 
Guavas are grown to some extent for home use, usually appear- 
