, 1872-03-09

general nature and peculiar functions be
understood, SO that we may know how,
most udiciously, to direct and assist the
action of the various agents of vegetation
and maturation. Water being one of the
most powerful of these agents and manure
the next in the vegetation of the cane, the
cares of the cultivator should be directed
toward the best means for supplying and
for causing the cane to profit, as much as
possible, by all that it receives either IN the
form of rain or by irrigation and manurlng.
AS a principal means of effacting this, the
ground should be very much loosenei round
the plant, the facilities for which operation
necessarily vary according to the nature OF
the land, and many other circumstances. l
shall endeavOur to show, what soil Is most
favourable to the production OF the sugar
cane, whence may be Induced the remedies
required to approximate soils, as nearly as
circumstances permit, TO this desirable
state. Amixture ofclay and sand, or, what
has been called brickmould, seems to be gen.
orally acknowledged as most favourable to
the growth of the sugar cane and, al
though the effects Of rain on this soil are
apparently soon over, its surface quickly
drying, the inner portion retains q consid-
cradle degree of moisture even In the drl-
est weather, and it has the advantage OF
seldom requiring trenches to be made even
in the wettest season.
This soil very much predominates in st.
Domingo in jamaica it is confined to par
ticuiar districts, and even in those districts
to particular spots.*
Next to this, black mould of several va
rieties is favourable for the productions of
the sugar cane. Black mould in clay Is
common, but it is generally only in a very
thin stratum, and the clay is tenacious and
retentive of water this last sort Of land,
therefore, requires great labour, both in
ptoughing and trenching to render it pro-
titable, but when proporly pulverlzed and
MANFRED, it becomes extremely productive.
The best black mould is II found in the
Windward Islands, But the very best
soil for the production of sugar of the fin
est quality, and in the largest proportion,
is the ashy loan Of st. Kits.
The |ailuvial soil Of Guiana is most ia
vourable to the vegetation of the sugar
cane, but not to the elaboration Of the
saccharine juice, except in old settled plan
tatIons having the benefit of the sea breeze
without receiving its spray.
Canes will not flourish on a merely
sandy soil to make them grow there, re-
quires great deal of manuring, as we'll as
frequent rains, or the command of water
for irrigation. When we consider the
composition aud constitution of soils, and
the manner in which land is enriched by
manure, or rendered fertile by the different
processes of cultivation, we cannot hesitate
to assign to this subject an important place
in treating Of the culture of plants.
When land is im~productive, we should
enquire into the cause of it's sterility, which
must necessarily result from some defect
in the constitution of the soil. Some lands
of apparent good texture, are yet extremely
barren. In such cases, he cause can only
be ascertained by chemical analysis, then
the noxious principle which ext It's will be
easily discovered, and most probably easily
destroyed. If any of the salts of Iron be
found present, they may be %dicomposed by
*"Plant-canes this soil have been
known ia very fine seasons to yeild two tons