The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1875-07-17

That warmth is a principal requirement for the
growth Of sagar-ezne is well known. BY using the
subsoil plow IL such attitudes IS UlupAlakua or Ma
kawao, the cold rains % the winter months would
rapidly sink deeper into the soil, looseped by the
subsol pluw 70 from % 70 80 inches. out Of reach Of
becoming injurious to the roots. and the warm
atmosphere Of sunny days would hl the loose soil
around the roots imparting new life TO The plant.
ripening the cane earlier, on account Of being freed
from s,oppsge or stsgnatiou Of growth on account Of
cold; and a. Ia al plants there Il a correspondent
connection between the free growth Of the roots and
the plAat itself. the joints OF the cane weali be
Heightened in the ratio Ia which warmth influenced
the growth OF the roots.
Il is equally a well known fact tha; nothing snects
cane besides cOld. more ipjariously than standing
water, or q wa,er-Soaked soil. To ground like that
Of the HAnalei plantation. the use Of the subsOil ploW
must be very beneficial, and there the tEo-bore sub
soil plow could be used with advantage. and a Guilt
walton Of the ground to the depth Of so inches would
withdraw the stagnant water from the roots, sYeeten
and warm the soil by a free admission Of the air. and
enrich the juice Of the cane in a remarkable manner.
Bot as above Observed. the benefit Of the subsoil
psow Is not only derived from either the warmth ad-
mitted 10 the soil or the freer siope which deep Guilt
walton gives TO the roots. but as much from the chem
zeal action Of the atmosphere upon the dormant
forces of q virgin soil. Some years ago an analysis
was made Of the soil of the Lihue plantation. Kauai.
and I recOlect (althOugh DO not remember the pre-
else quantity that the amount Of iron contained in
the Lihue soil was something unprecedented. Iron
forms q conspicuous part in n good son. aud when
pl~entifully present gives to a soil q great amount OF
strength by the changes which the iron u~ndergOes by
tiIlage. The prOtorIde literally the hrrt oxide OF
irnn con sisffnO simn1v az an atom ~ iron comhinad
with one atom of oxygen) of which the soil of Lihue
(and why not the generality Of our island soilsi)
contains so large an amount, is converted in q moist
soil by good tillage into the peroxide, (two atoms Of
iron united TO three Of oxygen and Uafey is decom-
posed. Its oxygen unites with the iron, forming the
peroxide, and its hydrogen combines at once with the
nitrogen Of the admitted atmosphere, to form that
most precious Of manures, ammonia. With the gem
eral habit to burn the begasse on the field, n large
amount Of line contained in the ashes is scattered
broadcast as it were over the ground. and in n we'll
titled soil sinks down into the ground, forming various
and highly valuable combinations, and rendering the
soil more productive by succeeding tilage.
In virgin earth, undisturbed and ENACTED upon by
atmospheric gases, the iroa is united with sulphur,
forming those bright yellow particles, found 80 fire.
quently on newly ploWed land pyriies. Tillage
d~ecomposes these. and the oxygen combines with the
sulphur and forms that most valuable ingredient In
sugasleane-suiphurie acid. Again, the ~srlphuric
acid combines with the iron and forms copperas. or
sulphate Of iron; and again the lime. that the asLss
produced and tillage has sunk into the soil, steps In
with its stronger affinity and robs the ~sulphate Of
iron of its ~sulphuric acid and forms ~sulphate Of lime,
the very best and mos. lasting Of all compounds Of
sulphur, one Of the most necessary compoLuds in the
growing sugar-cane; and / take the liberty to add
(from q Patent Office Report) a list Of the compounds
in 800 lbs Of ashes, the proceeds Of a ton
Of sugar: