The Orangeburg news. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1867-1875, 1869-04-17
Sugar Growing in Florida.

lation to the cultivation of the cane in Florida.
Several of our farmers last year wcro very
successful in their experiments, and their
small s'patches" ostonishcd the "nativcs" We
believe the cultivation of the "Ribbon Cane"
in our County could bo made very profitable
Mr. Bricklc, if we are not mistaken, told us that
from one fourth of an acre planted in "Ribbon
Cane" he barrclled one hundred gallons of
syrup, of very fine quality, the lattcr we can
vouch, as we were the recipients of few gallons
Mr.. Brickle could readily have sold his whole
crop for one dollar and fifteen cents per gallon
Cane can be raiscd ou pine land, heavily COW
pcDned, with profit in Orangeburg County
"The best lands adapted to sugar in East Fori-
da are the high undulating hammocks of the in
terror: found in large bodies in Marion county
They are high and sclfdraincd, and arc con-
sidercd nexhaustable because of their lime.
mari and phosphate formations, and will pro-
duee, on first quality hammocks 1000 pounds
of suffar to th" acre annually, for six years
consecutivcly, from one proper planting and
cutting off from the ground tor the MILL 1t
is estimated to be worth SIS per acre to clear
off the land and fence ready for the plow Ii
would, perhaps, be a good idea to plant the
first year in rice, which would, with great ccr-
tainty, produce from forty to fifty bushels of
rough rice per acre, even upon these elevated
lands so positively certain arc cur continuous
tb 1,t;t, L., a.
summer months. Cane is an expensive crop
to plant, therefore it is of primary Importance
to preserve its continuity of growth for
number of years. TO accomplish this impor-
tant end, two rules are to be observed. viz:
Plant very deep and cut very low when send
ing to the mill The process of planting is as
follows
If on new ground las of the rows six feet
apart with stccl-cdgc coulter, made sharp so
as to cut off all mcdumsizcd roots; thcu fol-
! low with aistrong lfshoycl bull-tonguc plow,
throwing the soil from the centre iurrow or
mark. Hoes and axes may follow 70 as to en-
sure bed for the canes, six to eight inches
below the general level of the field Into
these deep trenches lay two canes side by side
and cut them. into Sections of ten or twelve
inches, as~thcy lie, with some sharp instru-
mcnt; then cover with two light burrows,
about as deep and no deeper than coruss cov-
cred. This done, the cultivation is as follows:
Work out the middlcs as soon as convenient
as deep as possible, ridging up into the center
and away from the cane row, SO as to keep it
IL.
cond plowing is reversed; throw tho soil to-
ward the cane row. but net upon it, 1t must
be borne i'll mind that to preserve the rattocn
stand, the cane row should be kept low, as long
as possible. A third plowing and hoeing will
be quite sufficient amount of culture the first
year planting. Then comes the cutting in
November for the mill. This is IL very i'm
portant operation, requiring care, so as to pre-
serve the rattoon stand. 1t should be cut very
low to the ground itself and horizontally
with sharp instrument; better to cut little
underground than above it, and be sure to cut
with sharp instrument, SO as not to fray the
stubbe which would catch and retain moisture
from dews and rain and thus produce fcrmcn-
tation in the roots, n condition absolutely fatal
to tho stand.
The canes Of full growth arc from eight to
twelve feet high, and heavy with juice. The
cultivation for the second and subsequent
years of this same stand is similar. The first
plowing should be from the cane SO as to pre-
serve its depressed condition on the ground as
long as possible These instructions will
answer for old as well as new ground. with
difference only in plows, all adapted to the
different state of things in old and in new
ground. The cultivation in old and new
ground in the second and subsequent years
should begin as early as possible. Draw off,
or rake off, from every alternate or third row
the debris OF the cane, tops, blades, &C., and
when so cleared off, plow very thoroughly,
upon the cane, and then rake back uii the
tops, &C., upon the space plowcd, thus mulch
ing it completely in its own waste, and obviat-
ing the necessity for any further cultivation of
that row for the season. and at the same time
returning large portion of the plant to the
soil which grew it, Cane planted, cultivated
and cut as above on these rich unln nd ham