, 1877-11-28
SUGAR CULTIVATION IN JAPAN

4fw.. EL E. #e .'l" -
qa a The following article, compiled from
an official document, will, we have no
doubt, interest our readers 1.-The provin-
ces of japan where sugar cane is mostly
grown are Ise, Oari, Totomi, Suruza, Aki,
XII, Ava, Sanuki, Tosa, Hizen, and Satsu-
ma. Suzuki produces the best kind Of
ii, white sugar, and Satsuma the better qua
lily of the darker description. Sugarcane,
aia which is obtained from seed. is said to
Ia. attain to o height of about ter feet. 1t is
5a. not known to bear any flower. The
mode Of cultivation is as follows AT the
Id commencement of the cold weather, some
~ bundles of sugar-cane roots are planted
.e, in lows. stem down and root upwards,
-,Fl on o slope. OF about 45o. The following
o. ! spring they are taken up, and about two
inches of cane. both above and below the
d Joint, having been cut off, they'are planted
out in the proportion of about 900 lbs.
j bwe1ght OF cane to one quarter of an acre of
ia aground. The soil is we'll looked after in
,9t,t the spring, and a number of small holes
~, dug here and there. Into these the lees of
are poured, and they are then filled up
81 with earth, in which the cane-slips show
!, signs ofbudding, or of having taken root.
When planted, q little liquid manure is
applied. After the lapse of fifteen days, the
slips or shoots will have attained to a
growth of about seven or eight inches.
At this stage fish manure, mixed with the
lees of oil, is applied. In droughty sea-
sons the ground is also watered. There
are three known kinds OF insects which do
much, harm to the sugar cane in
Japan, and against the ravages of which
some precaution has to be taken.
During the winter the canes that
+ have attained the highest growth are
"a either broken off just above the roots, or
,re are cut with the sickle. The canes are
then stripped Of their leaves and are made
Ia up into bundles, each of about so lbs.
g. weight. A quarter of an acre Of ground
will produce abont IO,8OOlbs. of cane, and
this quantity of cane will turn out from
sd sixito seven piculs of sugar, The sheds in
81 which the cane is crushed are generally
about "a feet square, and in each there are
be-. three crushers worked by oxen. The teeth
of the crushers are kept constantly fed
withcanes, about four or five being inserted
time. A workman stands behind, on
the watch for any canes that may slip
10 Through the crusher without being caught
sd AN the action of the mill: and canes that
s1ihave so passed are handed to a third man,
& whofeeds the mill from the opposite side.
on4The mill has q reverse action, it thus
" results that not one cane is lost. The cane
aiad Juice iSnow removed, to a separate place,
in quantities of about 200 lbs weight
at q time, and the mill is cleaned after
CTS each such eremoval. 1.-The syrup then
.sliagoes through no less than four refining
processes Rnd is afterwards removed to
where 1t is to beomade into sugar 70 The
|: working of about !, o0Olbs. weight Of cane
n1Kss enesidered affair days Gwork. As re-
% cards thedufther process withfhe syrup,
sufAbont 1339 lbs. weight are poured into
8wostuhsJ ieachstub containing haEf'of the
(boseuqdantityae Firesiare then litounder
al tho bni1efG;la1dth the contents Of loDeItub
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES small quadtity
81 soflima Is them mixed with the syrup,
besghhidhsji pkinmsdsuRhsu oati the boiling