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SUGAR CANE AND ITS CULTIVATION. 
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As a rule, considerably more benefit is got from the manuring of 
ratoons than from the manuring of plant cane, and this experience is 
common. This is strikingly shown in the following summary of 
experiments carried out at Mackay :— 
Plant Crop. : First Ratoon Crop. 
Manures. No Manures, Difference. Manures. No Manures. Difference. 
50°7 | 47-4 3°3 42-4 Seuis3 lie"7an at edd Ori 
_ Second Ratoon Crop. Third Ratoon Crop. 
Manures. No Manures. Difference. - Manures. No Manures. - Difference. 
38:8 plot 14:7- 35°9 19°8 161 
Sugar-cane removes varying amount of the vital elements from the 
soil. It is estimated, from analyses of the total cane plant (except 
roots) made in the Agricultural Laboratory, that the variety known as 
Olark’s Seedling, sixteen months old, took from the soil 168 lbs. of 
potash, 83 lbs. of phosphoric acid, and 96 Ibs. of nitrogen; while the 
variety known as Badila, of the same age, took out of the land 139 Ibs. 
of potash, 44 lbs. phosphoric acid, and 107 lbs. of nitrogen. 
Irrigation. 
The afaetite variations in Queensland from year to year are often 
so great that cane-growing is only certain in those districts possessing 
a high average rainfall. Districts with an average rainfall of 50 inches 
and under suffer exceedingly during dry spells, and irrigation would 
prove highly payable in such localities. 
At the present time, the only cane-growing district that uses irripas 
tion water to any extent is the Lower Burdekin, situated some 40 to 50 
miles south of Townsville. On the north Suilc of the Burdekin River, 
irrigation has been practised for a number of years, the plants used 
being the property of the farmers. Water is found at shallow depths, 
and is easily obtainable by sinking spearheads. On the south side of 
the river, the Government are installing a complete system, which will 
be available to growers of cane. Wells are being sunk, and the pumps 
will be electrically driven from a, central power-house. 
The cost of applying irrigation water on the Lower Burdekin is 
comparatively high, even though the most economical method is used. 
Consequently, there is a tendency to do as little of it as possible, and, 
in many instances, to postpone the application if rain appears probable. 
This frequently leads to the suffering of the crop should rain fail to 
fall and the irrigation has not been carried out. | 
601 
