, 1892-07-06

a want of experience in dealing with pieces of
cane as seed. Other planters succeed in grow
ing pieces Of cane, and why should this not
be attained at Dodds? The remedy lies in the
hands Of the Executive Committee. Let us
hope there may be found some experienced
planter on that august board who may be
told of to give the wholesome lesson, that
seems to be so very much needed at Dodds, III
the terminating of pieces of cane.
rive are certain that Mr.. Bowel is quite
equal to settle for US, if anybody in Barbados
can, the important question respecting cane
seed, and we only wish that he was at the
head Of a sufficiently large experiment station
to enable him to work out, satisfactorily to
himself and to othe.s S, this, az well as other
questions which require solution. Our CORES
pondent can rest satisfied that it is not the
man that is wanted, but the proper statlon.-
Editor Planters Journal
No. 3.
Theorist writes again in your last number,
inviting discussion on a, other important ques-
ton in connection with our staple industry.
viz: The economy Of planting pieces of can8
instead Of the usual top plant" Whilst | do
not for q moment question the authority of
those who have been pursuing this plan for
many years, | venture to make the following
GLu hBs Alb4OuSA L h0FO AGA L4C ~
snce this way, l have on several occasions re-
sorted to it as a matter Of experiment, and l
say at once, that results have not been such az
to encourage a general adoption of this method
Of lanting, with either a hope Of improving
the cane, or from any economic advantages
to be derived thereby, In every case the
experiment WAS tried in damp and heavy
lands, said to be most suitable for the growth
Of this particular plant, and the irregular
growth, involving a supplying OF at least 70
per cent. (Which supplies are, rs q rule, put III
with our old top planl'0 tends to the conclu-
sion that it would be most difficult and expen-
sive to establish a large area i'll this way
should it ever be found advisable to do so tor
other than economic reasons. OF course,
the above remarks are drawn from my own OBJ
servation and limited experience, and in any
part of the colony where The mode Of plant
ing is found to answer admirably, all ] say is.
go on and prosper Perhaps he best way
for testing he merits If pieces of cane, as
plants would he to plant say Il ten-acre field
using these exclusively. which would be no
hard matter as they are to be hadm abundance
during the entire crop time. ! have now I'M
der observation a large field planted in this
way, and feel cutie sire that the first spring
was less than 25 per cent these were supplied
late in January with top plants, and are now
growing handsomely
I fail to see how these can be spoken of az
second cut, but so, probably, they will be,
Surely the loss Of % per cent of the first
plants il too much money value thrown away,
and the economy OF the transaction a d%elueion
in every way. it Ii quite possible that the
new sorts of cane my be used in planting
with great success, rs ] remember a field plant
ed in 1848 With I'D transparent, where almost
the entile cane was used and Srcw we'll.
No. 4.
Apropos Of Theorists lest litter to you on
planting pieces of canes, ] viii feel much
obliged by your Publishing the following ex-
tract from an article in the Louisiana Planter
Of the the 9th February, written by MI. A.
Moore, on the Deterioration of Seed Cane in
the Sandwich Islands:
II have now come to the conclusion that it
is time to try and stop the backward tendency
of our cane, and if possible, improve its sugar
producing qualities, and hope to accomplish
this by the following means
Il am having prepared a piece OF land of
about thirty acres, convenient to the lands to
be planted next year this land will be used
to raise a crop of seed cane, and only That
part of the stick used for seed that contains
the most sugar by the polariscope. This field
will have special attention if necessary, and
fortified with the best sugar producing sub