The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1886-01-26

Sugar Cane Cultivation in India.

Sugar Cane Cultivation IN 1uulhs
Our notice has been directed to the following |
letter on the above subject and we believe 1t Will
be read with interest here = -, |
The usual Indian method OF cane culture may |
be called broadcast opposed TO planting as the
term Is understood by European and American
planters. The difference IN resul tnay he approx
imately obtained by asking any ryot the difference
IN the produce between cheetoi ana TotP "l""
broadcast and plantedl.
The foot of the sugarcane Is a small collectloh
of thin tiOrss or roOtleis; there Is no Top root
On these depend the health and vlgor OF tue plaht
with lis long succuleut stem and succession o!
long broad leaves 1t should, therefore, be placed
in the best possible condition to enable 1t enectu'
ally to meet the heavy demand on II.
By the native method the root Is on or near
the surface Of the ground The held gett Y OF II
surface ploughiuGs giving seed bed ohlS louI ol
five inches deep. The little manure ~ any Is
given is scattered irregnlary over the surface,
pIouph .1oes round the leld IN a cOntlnually ue-
crsasinE circle, and the cuttings are dropped INTO
the shallow track so made. There may be a Isttte
/ manure where they fall or there may NOT De any,
Tbe Cuttings are covered with about three inches
] of earth bv "a piece of wood drawn over the sur
face. man OF two standing on H. eaGh stppDtt
himself bv holding the tail OF the oulIocH IN non
] of him lhls surface covering soon uIles Tue
s1rf,,-e Is then loosened Il little by the noe, the
! roots being carefully avoided little manure
| nav now be placed round each plant oy
hand and water is iet till the held Is submerged
or water logged thus sealing up the roots IRON
air in plastic clav or loan com PRESSED by the
downward course Of the water, ana haIushlIS 40
It dries. As the hoe avoids the roots the conPEes
SION of the soil around them increases Just where
j II should be most friAbe. The hOelng Is repeated
about three times, followed by a1etici"ee wafer
inc that Is, till the ground Is water-logGeu eaCu
time. When the plants reach d Ger usleisi
stupped and rs they grow, being close together
with no regularity, thick jungle Is tue result *
Guiding sun and free circulation OF arr Cohsll-
erinc the nature of the plaGt aud the "oFh Is Ioa
[ ms to do this treatment of II is most IRRATIONAL
| In Mauriuus, West Indies. ana otAer places
where cane cultivation Is under European sGFeL-
vision. the cuttings or seedIus are Ltlu a. 70.
nine inches under the surface OF the Ioun e4'uci
/ m carefully made rectangular oslOng hoies IN
rows lhree-and half or four feet apart or IN con
-iuuous channels or burrows made 10y a nos OF =
aoubIg mould board plough, the bottom being Ia Z.
and eightor nine inches vide that Is woe enough
e 10 receive three cuttings, placed some distance
between each other. A field planted IN thls way
will take as many cuttings as are usuailS pun ~
I bv the native method. The space between ~
e rows need not be plOuIhed. only cleaned OF Tue
weeds By hoe these are left on the ground anu ar
covered bv the earth FROM the channels OF holes.
a Previous to the planting OF the cuttings hAuuI
r ~, rrar ,urtity Is spread over the bottom OF to-
d CHANNEL aud mixed with a little earth. On, or Il
n tnis the cuttings are laid end 10 END elmer III sl
de double triple rows as the |lutn OF tle oo'
= Z tom nav allow. and covered by Lahu Win ANU
~ fhrsa inches of earth. The hole system Is use
lie IN Mauritius the ground Is hliiy and undulauha
rain Is frequent, and each hole rethns Wha' ma
all III.
y tue channel or deep turrow method Is oes-, -Al'e
l. SOM. DAYS the surface IF the soil III the bottom
l. is ln1seuel by hand. This may be done by wonJ
! or children whereas the hOeiug of the ryots mel
re has 30 be done by II water Is now necesSli
ie little Is allowed to flow from one end OF ne chal
in mel 10 the other and then shut on. As the pIan
le rise more nth Is filed IN around them win a II
tie manure where It may be needed Inc !ooselln
OF If the surface watering and filling IN Is repsate
ny nil the enamel is filled; after which as the plan
ne grow The earth Is drawn from the spaces oet"ee
at the rows and heaped round the roots tl a rldge
It. formed at least nine inches high over the origin
r. surface Subsequently irrigation Is gwen IN L
h0lluws between the ridges,the water not being a
lowed tue top of the ridges by four or hye lnche
which are thus left rlable and open Tor the ac'l'
OF the AIR and expansion Of tue roots.
If Our ryots have for years seen and acknoWleug g
7, the considerable economy Of labor, water az
- 1 manure IN this method compared with Inc
NJ own They have also seen the common D'"Hg
in cane of the district so improved that they had
ms be assured il was nothing else yet none OF the
no have had the enterprise to adopt IT, though sever
among them have been at work on the cane mel
, of the West Indies and Mauritlus, and kno"
eu methods and its results
rs Cane culture should be more of the nature
MS Garden than field cultivation, and If done Will
reasonable consideration Of tre nature ana nec
s. sities of the plant a third of the land now yeal
gf5 devoted to cane could be put under other ere
9J With no failing OF in the weight OF sugar pr0dnc
273 The industry, whole. aud IN us details IT
- tile preuaratiOn of the land TIL the crnqe prodt
os4 Is ready for the market, Is in very backward a
at wastef1l condition: there Is no reason except
CO.. inertIa Of the ryot why this should be so. i
The might be overcome, and better run opened {
md nv some sustained effort on the part of the u
lue eminent. probably graduated set of prizes
led, tie best caue field cultivated with reference to
1t nature aud requirements Of the plant we an
gar bv experience they understand what this me4
ate when explained to them in terms with which Il
or are familiar.-Madras Times.
ble "
Ole Worthy of Imitation.
Is