SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY. 
Water is not applied scientifically to cane crops on the Lower 
Burdekin, so that the greatest efficiency is not secured. This, however, 
is largely due to the high cost of application. The method of irrigation 
is to run the water in shallow furrows between the cane drills, usually 
made with the dise harrow known as the,Cotton King Cultivator. The 
water is generally conveyed by fluming to the main ditch running on _ 
the headland at right angles to the cane rows. The water is then- 
admitted to the channels between the cane; but, as no attempt has been 
made to grade the land, a great deal of water is often wasted. 
In Hawau, the water is usually applied directly in the furrow or 
drill in which the cane plants are growing. ‘The preparation of the 
land is more expensive, as it is laid out for irrigation according to the 
land contour, and the drills are cut into short sections so as to secure 
an even distribution. This method secures the largest economy of 
water. In the Queensland system, as practised at Ayr, it is not 
generally possible to evenly distribute the water over all the land, 
consequently some of the area goes short, while other parts obtain too 
much. This system, therefore, involves the greatest waste of water, 
but is the cheaper as far as actual application is concerned. This is, 
of course, a vital*point in the cultivation of cane in Queensland, where 
the costs of labour are so high. It is usual to only make one or two, 
or at most three, applications of water on the Lower Burdekin, but these 
are large in volume, running up to 6 inches. ; 
In Hawaii, on the contrary, the applications are smaller, but far 
more frequent, ranging front the equivalent of 4 inch of rainfall per 
week to 3 inches or more, as the crop makes greater demands upon the 
soil. ‘These irrigations are carried on until the crop nearly reaches 
maturity; they are then stopped, so that the absence of water may have 
the effect of ripening the cane crop. With such a system, the applica- 
tion of manures can be carried out’in the most satisfactory manner, 
and the combined use of water and fertilizers renders the cane crops of 
Hawaii the heaviest in the world, while the production of sugar per 
acre is also higher than elsewhere. , 
' 
) ‘ 
As irrigation for cane must- eventually play a large part in sugar 
production in the drier cane areas of the State, the matter will ulti- 
mately have to be taken in hand, so that the water may be applied in 
the most economical way; and no doubt the Hawaiian system, which 
has proved so successful, will be tried. It is a noteworthy fact that 
much larger crops can be grown with irrigation properly applied in 
dry areas than on lands where the rainfall is plentiful. 
Concuusion, . 
With the improved outlook due to the fairer price now to be paid 
for sugar by the Federal Government, a larger production of sugar may 
be hoped for. The consumption is rapidly rising, and it should become’ 
the duty of sugar-growers and manufacturers to supply enough sugar 
for Australian requirements, and so prevent importation from countries 
using black labour at high prices. rae 
ars 602 
