The Lakeland evening telegram., 1913-10-22


power in grinding. 1t is also more
difficult to strip, which increases the
cost of stripping. However, as re-
CARDS the quality of the syrup, there
is but little difference between inc
regular suear cane and japanese
cane. The yield Of syrup per acre
from japanese cane will vary from
s15O to 500 gallons.
The locality best suited for tfe
growing of Japanese cane VIII be al
Florida, southern Georgia, southern
Alabama, southern MISSISSIPPI
Louisiana and southern Texas. Any
section in which the velvet bean VIII
mature seed will be found good
place to grow the Japanese cane
This will be up to 200 to ESQ miles
north Of the Gulf Of Mexico.
Pasture
Japanese cane furnishes good pas
turaee from the middle of November
to March. Cattle waste but little
of It when pastured. They first eat
off the green blades, then the tender
Joints at the top, and continue to
eat from the ton until there is moth
ing left but the short stubble. 1t
should not be pastured late In the
spring. If pasturod after growth
starts in the spring the cattle or
hogs will eat off the new growth and
soon kill out the plants. 1t is not
advisable to pasture later than
March l, or after new growth be-
gins In the spring.
Soils
Good hammock land will no doubt
produce the heaviest yields. But even
the high pine lands will give. good
returns when properly fertilized. =.
On swampy muck land Japanese cane
will make a fairly good growth. On
such land the growth will be greatly
increased by an application Of lime
(ground limestone, or burnt lime),
The amount of this which 1t Is neces-
sary to apply will depend upon the
amount Of acid In the soil, and will
vary from 1000 to 5000 pounds of
ground limestone, or one-half these
amounts OF air-slacked lime per acre,
An application at the rate of 1000
pounds of ground limestone per acre
on hich pine land on the Expert
ment Station farm Increased the
WELD to the extent Of 1887 tons per
acre during the season Of 1903.
Every farmer in Florida should
crow a few acres of Japanese cane,
whether he has the class OF soil best
suited to'it or not. If 1t Is rot the
best soil, Japanese cane will produce
as heavy a yield as will any other
crop that can be grown on the same
soil, or even a heavier yield. lli9h
pine land properly fertilized will
give a yic'd of - to 20 tons nor
acre. Good hammock land will pro-
duce yields beyond these figures,
SavinG Seed Cane
Japanese cane is perennial, and
one planting Will last may years
If properly handled. This in Itself
causes quite a saving in the expense
OF 9roWiu2 the CROP.
Cane for Planting
The number Of canes required to
plant an acre will depend upon the
distance between the rows, TIE dis.
tance at which tho ca"cs are drop cd
in the row, and the lencth to Wi h
the canes are cut. Our experience
has shown that. putting the rows s
feet apart, 5000 whole cahes are
sufficient to plant az acre: and II
good seed is used, are enough to
give an excellent stand. Select only
healthy canes. and reject all that are
green and unripe. Plant in rows s
feet apart. Cut the canes in pieces
having three or four eyes to a piece,
and drop them In a double line.
Some farmers drop the canes in
a single line from IL to IS inches
apart in the row. BY this method
Of planting 1t will only require from
1000 to 1900 canes to plant an
acre. The disadvantage is, how
ever, that a thin stand will be OBJ
tained, which will result In a small
yield forage. This small yield
Of forage will not only be for the
first year, but there will be a light
! "a IN =