Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-08-16

| prepared to set f0rth.
! While the old plan of laying two whole
seed canes side by side in the furrow is
| still followed 10 considerable extent. many
have learned that it is better TO cut the
canes into sections carrying two joints on
each. This secures an evener and better
stand than can be had from planting the canes
| entire. How this can be is plain enough
| The most vigorous shoots starting up from
| the whole cane will starve out the weaker
| shoots while all are yet depending upon the
seed cane for sustenance, by drawing the
| lions share of substance from the entire
| stalk. Cutting destroys connection, as it
were, thus forcing the shoots 10 depend alone
| upon their own immediate sections for sus-
| tenance. Cut the canes midway between
! two joints with a sharp Ratchet, or by some
| other means that will not crush or bruise
| them. Plant same as in case of the whole
| canes.
| The afterculture of sugar cane does not at
all differ from that of corn; therefore we
| need not waste time in a description of the
| culture. If the land is naturally well drain
ed the laying by working should leave it
| as nearly level as possible, but if fiat and
| inclined TO hold water after rains water
| furrOw IS usually run in the middle at the
| time of laying by The harvest is put off
to as late date as can be risked on severe
frost. \ very light frost would not hurt
| the crop, but 4 regular freeze would ruin it.
Before cutting the cane 90 into the field and
strip off the blades from the highest ma
tured Joint down to the ground. on the plan
of pulling fodder. The blades being worth
| nothing as Il stock feed are left on the
ground to be turned under at the next work
ing. Cut the stocks Immediately at the
ground with cane knife or heavy hoe and
maui them to the mill.
The top joints not fully matured are to be
| cut off before grinding. Many people put
| these into ''wind-rows" and save them for
the next years seed. A ''wind-row' is
simply trench turned out with the plow
on some well-drained locality. This trench
is filled with the tops, and over them is
thrown a three or four-inch covering of
cane blades, to be followed with u furrow
turned on, or by repeated burrows, until
there IS dirt enough above the seed to pro-
tect it from the freezes of winter. These
tops make a fair seed though not near so
good as the whole canes-on this account
most small planters prefer saving whole
| canes for the next years planting, putting
them up in wind-rows. as already described.
For our own part we'd always prefer whole
canes. regardless of their being Il little
| more expensive.
In the tropics, and along the southern
border of our North American cane belt,
sugar cane '.ratoons." which means sprout-
ing up from the previous years stubble.
and enabling US to raise several annual
crops from Il single planting. We don't
! think it could be depended upon to do much
in that way above the line of 81 deg. north
latitude. Below that line il ratoonS reason
ably well if protected. and since Texas is so
unlike other states. relative to climatic eff
fectS, it might be well to give the thing
fair trial further north. In the ratooning
regions. above the frost line, so soon as the
cane is cut turn-plow is run on each side
of the stubble. throwing the dirt atop of
il as protection from frost. In the next
spring, when danger of frost is over, the
dirt is blocked of down to the head of the
stubble. and the new crop allowed to grow
up from the old roots.
The manufacture of syrup from sugar
cane is substantially the same as manufac-
turing syrup from sorghum. Last week, in
reply to 4 correspondent, we gave directions
for making it so that it would not ferment,
henceI we need not again touch on that part
OF the subject at this writing Several cor
respondents have asked for information
that would enable them TO make sugar on a
small scale from their small plantations.
We could tell them how to do il, but, as
stated last week. we don't think it would
pay, as there is some complication about
the processes. and a good deal of trouble.
1t would be almost as much trouble to
make fifty pounds of sugar as it would be
10 make 5000 pounds, therefore, in our
opinion, the sugar-making must be left to
the work of central factories, which will be
prompt TO come once our people evince
disposition 10 interest themselves in sugar
cane culture. Already there are some fac
tories of this character operating in the
state and giving entire satisfaction. A
sample of as fine raw sugar as we ever saw
came to US from one of them last fall-from
Camp county, if we remember correctly.
A great deal of sugar cane is raised by
small planters in the gulf coast regions east
of Louisiana They have no small central
factories there as Yet, but the people are
clamoring for them. Even with soil about
as poor as a soil well could be, those people
are making considerable money off their
cane and molasses operations. There are
many small portable mills that are hauled
about the country from plantation to plan
tation, working up the cane into molasses
on toll. If man has but half an acre in
cane the mill will stop at his place, work it
up for him, and then go on to the next.
Until we get our central factories under
way the same arrangement might be made
to work to advantage in many parts of
Texas. Such mills are not at all expensive;
they are the same, in every particular, as
the mills employed in working sorghum.
In some of the thicker settled regions,
over there, they have little central mo-
lasses mot sugar. mills to which the neigh
bOrs haul their cane to have it worked up.
They differ none from the portable mills
save in usually being some larger. A