Everglades Station Mimeo Report 61-1


 GROWING SUGARCANE ON ORGANIC SOILS FOR SUGAR PRO TION
 BY INDIVIDUALS AND FARM GROUPS b 20 6J

 F. le Grand


 This mimeograph was prepared as a source of general informational a
guide for farmers without experience in growing sugarcane and the cultivation
of sugarcane is discussed without going into detail. It is felt that the
mimeograph will serve a purpose because of the increased interest lately in
growing sugarcane for sugar production.

 Varieties.- New sugarcane varieties for Florida are developed by the USDA
Sugar Crops Field Station, Canal Point, Florida and by the Research Department
of the U. S. Sugar Corporation in Clewiston, Florida. Every year thousands of
new seedlings are planted and evaluated by the Everglades Experiment Station,
Belle Glade, Florida and by the USDA Sugar Crops Field Station in Canal Point,
Florida.

 New sugarcane varieties are selected and released for commercial produc-
tion by the USDA Sugar Crops Field Station, in cooperation with the Everglades
Experiment Station. Limited seed stock of newly released varieties will be
available according to terms prescribed and agreed upon by the Release Committee
which determines each new release.

 The release of new varieties is made known to the farmer by an Experiment
Station or USDA Circular describing the variety, yield tests and other agronomic
data. The Florida Experiment Station Circulars can be obtained through the
County Agent's office.

 Sugarcane varieties do not carry names but numbers. C.P. 50-28 means that
the variety was bred in Canal Point in 1950 and the variety represents the 28th.
selection of that year. Similarly CL 41-223 was bred in Clewiston in 1941 as
selection No. 223.

 Field Lay-out.- Inasmuch as the cane has to be burned prior to harvesting
and the burned sugarcane has to be passed through the sugarmill within 48 hours
to prevent deterioration of the cane, it is suggested that the farmer not grow
sugarcane in field units larger than 20 acres each. This will safeguard from
burning accidently more cane than can be harvested in a particular time and
gives sufficient space for maneuvering mechanical equipment. For each field
unit proper facilities for water control with dikes and reversible pumps to
provide drainage or irrigation should be installed. This layout will also pro-
vide additional safeguard against spreading of fire when the fields are burned
prior to harvest. Every field unit should have hard surfaced roads for the
transportation of the heavy cane crop at harvesting time. Drainage facilities
should provide one inch of run-off per 24 hours at the minimum and preferably
higher.


* Assistant Sugarcane Agronomist, University of Florida, Agricultural
 Experiment Stations, Everglades Experiment Station, Belle Glade, Florida.