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(4,5,6,7). It should be pointed out that several chemicals used, although not
harmful to the cane, may damage other crops. Since the small cane farmer is
likely to be surrounded by several other nearby crops he will likely depend
mostly on mechanical means to control the weeds.

 Scratchers are used regularly for this purpose. Discing is also employed
 to keep the inter-row spaces clean. The small furrow, left after planting, will
 be filled in by light discing and, after several discing operations, the rows
 will be "hilled up". The chilling has the advantage of producing a more uniform
 stalk size and prevents the cane stool from making too many tillers. After 4
 months or later, depending on weather conditions, the cane rows will "close in",
 preventing the growth of weeds and the formation of additional tillers. From
 that moment on the cane field should be left alone until harvesting time and
 only provided with sufficient irrigation or drainage. During the whole growing
 period from planting until ripening, the average depth of the water table should
 be kept at about 1.5 feet.

 Harvesting.- The sales price of cane to the processor is determined by a
 government agency, and may fluctuate from one year to another. .This agency
 takes into account the production cost per ton of cane and also allows the
 farmer a premium for first quality cane. It is, therefore, to the farmer's
 advantage to produce a crop with the highest percent sucrose in the cane and
 to harvest when the cane is ripe.

 The cane ripens best when it is deprived of water and the temperature
 drops. Therefore, the water table should be lowered two months before harvest-
 ing to obtain a better ripening effect.

 Before harvesting, the cane should be burned to dispose of all dry leaves
(trash) and make the work for the cane cutter easier. More area should never
be burned than a 48-hour supply to the mill. The small cane farmer can only
deliver a limited amount of cane to the factory and he should cut fire passages
in his field prior to burning to prevent burning more cane than the 48-hour
supply. Burned cane beyond this time limit will deteriorate rapidly with a
subsequent lower price paid by the factory.

 The burned cane in the field should be topped, piled, loaded into wagons
and transported to a central loading point from where the factory takes over,

 Maintaining ratoons.- When cane is harvested from the plant cycle it will
grow back and can be harvested again (ratoon). Several ratoons can be obtained
by this method and the number is limited only by the law of economics. Mostly
every following ratoon will yield less tons cane per acre and it is up to the
individual farmer to decide after how many ratoons it will be economical for
him to replant the field.

 Cane trash and tops from the preceding crop should be left in the field
and not disturbed as this blanket of vegetative material will suppress the
growth of weeds. It should be incorporated into the soil with the first mechan-
ical weeding. The ratoon crop should be fertilized by applying the fertilizers
as a band into the stool or as a banded shallow sidedressing. The amount of
fertilizers to be applied should be determined by soil analyses and might vary
slightly from year to year.