The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1914-12-04

The advantage Of the first stripping
which Is done from january to May o.
June is that the bottom leaves and
any weeds that may be present arc
removed and the cane Is then in a
good condition for applying a spring
dressing of fertilizer. The cane leaves
stripped Off make mulch in the fur.
row and prevent TO some extent the
washing OF the soil ia the usual heav,
winter rains. Stripping of the boz
tom leaves also helps to keep the cane
from throwing out rootlets at tho
joints, and permits the leaves higher
up on the stick TO fall of when they
have completed their functions.
Stripping ard Labor Supply
The second, and sometimes third
stripping, are very often done in slack
time when labor has to be employed.
Harvesting is much easier after the
cane has been stripped / think strip.
ping is necessary where cane is heavy
as II lightens the stick, and even il i.
docs fan down later on there is IA BODY
Of trash between IL and the Ground.
and II does not deterioYate nearly az
quickly as II would If unstrippcd n
we could grow an equal standing crop
over all our fields and had less min.
stripping would not be so important
but under the weather and other con,
ditions obtaining here, am in favor
of carrying on this work.
L Mr. John Hind Of Hawi, Kohala,
writes: 'We favor stripping when Il
can be done during the non grinding
season, when work for labor is scarce
and Weather not too dry. The strippea
ease keeps ihibettdr t5ndition, ehttinh
easier, and requiring less labor (which
is a consideration during the grindif,a
season) to say nothing Of cane arriv.
ing at the factory in more attractive
shape. -
Mr.. Hall Of Niulii, Kohala, enumer.
ates six reasons for stripping, namely
ID t" Unthatching and allowing ram
fall TO get TO the ground,
~ Mulching the ground and keep
ing in moisture,
90 +" Cane riPer less rotten and
rooted joints at harvest,
GA and 81 Cutting easier less dan,
ger Of FIRE,
COY "Work for wet days when some
other operations are not worth cost =.
On this subject Mr.. Forbes Of the
Waiakea Mil Company writes:
Stripping from time to time has
had its share Of discussion as wen az
demonstration, which in many cases
has resulted in abandonment Of the
operation. Under certain condition.
much of the cost Of stripping may be
wasted money; at the same time ]
should hesitate very much to entirely
stop stripping at WaialSea. Climatic
conditions have great bearing, / be
lieve in deciding the profit or loss OF
stripping or non-stripping.
Arguments for II
~ offer the following arguments IL
fovar Of stripping: First, that in this
early stages Of canes growth the
fine flaments on outer side of Leaf
sheath do not have the power to bristls
out and displace leaf now maturing
on adjoining lower joint; that is no
tieeable on Caledonia as well as severa
other varieties. Every ten days a new
leaf forms, while Mt some intervals un
der normal conditions lower leaf ha,
performed its functions and dies. Hero
we now have after few months
growth mass Of dead leaves elinginl
to the stem, affording every facility a.
a moisture container and natural
nursery for aerial roots, which soor
show out at every nodulc.
Where this condition exists dc
those air roots injure the cane as q
sugar nroducerl l would answer. most
assuredly. Hence my belief in first
stripping when the canes have formed
not more than eight or ten Joints II
Is very noticeable when cane is cut by
contract that contractor Of expert
ence win cut cane at a considerably
lower rate per ton IL the cane is
stripped than he will If it is un.
stripped, aud the cane grown in a
locality where weather conditions foI
the burning Of cane ahead of harvest,
ing is sometimes uncertain Again, il
we are to follow what is considered al
least good practise In cane farming;
bury all dead or live cane leaves in ouI
soil, amounting 20 several dollars
worth per acre in nitrogen contents,
our most expensive fertilizer, together
with the valuable humus lost where
burning is practised. Where are the
gainsf Thus my argument for final
stripping. T" A
II would thus seem as 10 an unirri
gated plantations, at least, the general
eonsepsns Of opinion remains pretty
much the same as il the past. The