The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1904-05-28
The Sugar Industry of Peru
BY PROFESSOR THOMAS F. SEDGwICK

? PROFESSOR TIKI
ses taken to the depth of one foot
do not show fully the strength and
extent of these alkaline compounds.
SOIL ANALYSIS.
Complete Analysis
Soil 40. 4.
Coarse material. Observation-Disclosures. O0.00
Fine earth. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. 100. 90
lnsol Silica. NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. 1913
Sol Silica. NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. $3.50
Phosphoric acid .437
Alumlna Observation-Disclosures. b.9O
Iron Observation-Disclosures. $50
Lime Observation-Disclosures. l.SO
Potash OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. .11o
SODA .......'.'..'.'''' '4zU
Manganese NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. .4OO
Magnesia Observation-Disclosures. III
Sulphates Observation-Disclosures. Trace
Water and volatile natter. 1880
Carbon Di-oxide. .......,,........ 80
Nitrogen Observation-Disclosures. 10
Humus ....''..'..'''''..'''' '''''' Loo
Humus ash.................... los
Hgr Moisture. Observation-Disclosures. 5.42
Water soluble Sulphates. .........T Trace
Water soluble Chlorides. ....... Trace
Neutral Cit. Potash. .0O5O
Neutral Cit, Phosphoric Acid. .OO44
Cit Sol. Potash. .013O
Cit Sol Phosphoric Acid....... .O23O
PARTIAL ANALYSIS.
Soil No. 9.
Coarse material. Observation-Disclosures. OO.OO
Fine earth. OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES OO.OO
InsOi Residue. ................... ~. 5S
Iron and Alumina .............,. 9.2U
line OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. 2.Z4
Phosphoric Acid. $50
Potash OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. 800
Volatile material. ................ b.7O
Carbon Di-OXlde.. ............... LIZ
Nitrogen ..................''' 'VH
Free moisture. ................... l.'I
Neutral Cit. Potash. ............ .OO5S
Cit acid Potash. ............... .OO9O
Neutral Cit. Phos. Acid. .0O19
Cit Acid Phos. Acid. ........,.. .014O
Following is a CitrIc Acid Neutral
and Acid determination of Phosphoric
acid and Potash from Soil No. Z.
Neutral Cit. Acid Potash. ...... .OO5O
Citric Acid Potash .............. .OO76
Neutral Phos. Acid. ............. .Ol6O
Citric Acid Phos. Acid.......... .O16O
Three characteristic types of al
kali are to be found in Peruvian
soils, the white or sodium sulphate,
the black or carbonates of soda and
common salt.
The alkali may be removed from
the soil in part by either flooding
the land and washing the soil by
subsequent drainage or by scraping
the surface layer, as was evidently
practiced by the ancient Incas.
The water problem is perhaps the
most difficult with which the Plant
ers have to deal. The great area OF
easily worked land now idle, if put
under irrigation control would
greatly increase the output of SUI
gar. In the valleys surrounding
TrujillO Zone of the largest sugar
growing districts) it is estimated
that there is 10000 acres of land
that but for the lack of water could
be put under cultivation. 1t is diff
cult to estimate the area now under
cultivation, but it probably does not
exceed more than Twenty-Five per
cent.
Old acqueducts that were con
structed by the lnCas capable of
carrying water from forty to fifty
miles are still to be seen. At that
remote period there must have been
much more available water, or a
better system of conservation than
there is today.
There are two possible means of.
securing more water for the dry
season; one is to store the surplus
water at the head of the valley at
the flood season, a project which
would have to be undertaken by the
government or a syndicate; the
other is to experiment in the sink
ing of artesian wells. Indeed ex-
periments have already been begun
in this sugar district.
AS the land to be irrigated is
practically level the simplest posi-
BILE system Of irrigation is practiced.
The fields are laid of in squares or
rectangles and sub-diyided in like
manner forming parallel bitches
and waterways, AS there Is often am
underground flow Of water the soils
are partly supplied BIZ capillarty,