, 1892-11-30

be supplied with. In hOur SOIL the canes Will
produce two little sugar, ALSO saline soil in
the immediate vicinity of the beach must be
avoided. In a soil which corAa aims much chic
rine Tin combination in common SALT, this
substance may partly be removed by c%ontinu-
ed cultivation of leafy fodder plants. Fodder
plants suitable for this purpose are Gramma,
Theosinthe, Sorghum, Fodder Gamma. These
absorb comparatively much salt from the soil.
The salt is collected in that part of the plants
which is above the ground. This part is cut
off and removed from the field. The culti-
walton of root crops, is on the other hand, to be
avoided, such as batatas (sweet-pOtatoes),
cassava and SO on. These extract but little
chlorine, though much potash, from the soil.
II. Experience obtained by manuring.
With no other species Of plant except tobac-
co have so many and such unlucky manuring
experiments been tried as with the Sugar
Cane. The causes Of the failure may be ex-
pressed in a few words: Too much nitrogen,
too little phosphoric acid, unserviceable po-
fash salt g..
he owners Of large estates are in the
habit Of keeping a great stock Of cattle. BY
manuring with the dung nitrogen let's INTO
the soil. TO supply the soil with more nitro
gen than it gets IN this way is only permlssi-
Bile when ample quantities Of other plant
foods, especially phosphoric acid and potash,
are given at the same time. But this is lP
fact seldom done. In several regions Of North
America the extra manure given besides the
dung consists Of cotton cakes; in Java boeng-
xii (earthnut cakes are used. Such refuse
from the manufacture Of oils contains on the
average 7 per cent Of nitrogen, | per cent Of
potash, and | per cent Of phosphoric acid,
and in this way the soil is gradually enriched
with nitrogen, On account Of the excessive
manuling with nitrogen the yield Of sugar is
decreased Especially The quality Of the
Juice is ueteriorated.
Moreover diseases often appear, because
animal and vegetable parasites poison the
soil. A one sided use Of other sorts Of
nitrogen manures has likewise injured the
sugar estates for instance those OF North
AmeIica) in a high degree. recall the eX-
cessive use Of saltpetre CChiIian nitrate OF
soda) and sulphate Of ammonia, which often
took place without coincident application OF
potash and super phosphatcs. After the more
or less exclusive applications OF those nitro
gen salts, the leaves stand out luxuriantly
and are dark green in colour. Still the yield
of sugar is but small, because the hunger Of the
plants for phosphoric acid and potash has not
been sufficiently appeased. RAJ her frequent
ly the cane plants suffer from want of phos-
phoric acid. A partial compensation for the
potash extracted from The So. takes place al
ready when the ashes Of the megoss are spread
on the cane field as a manure. The megass is
rich in potash. A considerable amount Of
potash remains, however, in the moIasSes. If
a sugar estate is to be continuously productive
potash must decidedly be- purchased and APP
piled as manure. The recognition Of this fact
has led to the importation Of potash salts from
Europe already for a long period Of time.
Especially the low priced KANT was p1rchas-
ed The use Of this as aelua1ure acted. ON
account Of the large proportion Of chloride Of
sodium which il contained, by no mems ia
vourably on the quality Of the sugar canes.
In Europe it has been found by the %cultiva-
ton Of sugar beets that chloride Of >odium
Und other chloridesJ have an Wnfayourable
influence on the production Of sugar. Too
much of so-called mot sugars is formed.
The same thing appears to occur also IN the
cultivation of the sugar cane. We must be
very cautious in the selection of potash man
ures and only take such as contain but little
or no chlorine.
III. Recommendable manures.
From the preceding statements we have
seen in what way the sugar cane should not be
MANFRED. A good artificial manure for the
sugar cane must contain liberal quanti-
ties of easily soluble phosphoric acid,
potash salts free of chlorine, and not too
much nitrogen. Resides we must provide