In the United States today, research seems to have become one of the greatest professions in life. The sugar industry can rightly be proud of the progress made in the production of sugarcane.
TWENTY-FOURTH ANNUAL SUMMARY OF CHEMICAL LABORATORY REPORTS
It is in this respect, also in the bagasse's moisture content, that there is still the most room for improvement in South Africa. Of the eight factories that recorded improved overall recovery, Urnfolozi 1.95, Sezela 1.67 and Doornkop 0.97 were excellent.
ANNUAL WEATHER REPORT FOR 1948
The difference in favor of Co.301 was particularly marked in the area south of Tugela. The south coast still had the lowest yield per acre of the three main areas, and the North Coast the highest.
SOME REMARKS ON THE EXHAUSTABILITY OF FINAL MOLASSES, ON THE WINTER RATIO, AND ON THE
SOME REMARKS ON THE DEPLETION OF THE FINAL MOLASSES, ON THE WINTER REPORT AND ABOUT IT.
DETERMINATION OF THE COLOUR OF WHITE SUGAR
To calculate the Winter Ratio, the crystal content of the sugars produced must be known. One of the available methods was based on the determination of the viscosity of the molasses at different concentrations.
REPORT OF THE TRASH INVESTIGATION COMMITTEE
In this series of tests, a large sample of standing cane was cut, brought to the laboratory and subsampled in three portions. To the samples labeled "trashy" was added a weighed amount of trash fed into the mill with the clean sticks. While the loss of sucrose extracted as a result of refuse is of immediate concern to the factory, it is also of concern to the producer, who in the long run also has a financial interest in the overall efficiency of the factory extraction.
The manure on the cane helps break it down, apparently because the manure passes through the mill at a different speed than the cane.
SUMMARY OF EXPERIMENTS CONDUCTED WITH A CANE SAMPLING MACHINE
- Preliminary tests to determine a suitable method of calculating sucrose from the sample obtained
- Mechanical test of the machine under working conditions
- Tests of simultaneous samples to test the con- sistency of sampling
- Tests of samples from the sampling machine compared with bulk samples taken from the
- Period runs
On this occasion the machine was placed under the chute leading from the carrier to the crusher in such a way that the blade entered a slot cut in the center line of the chute. The PRESIDENT emphasized that although the work done was a continuation of the experiments carried out by Mr. First, in 1939, it was found that one hour's boiling of fragments from the sampler was not sufficient,_ and that a two-hour period showed a marked increase in polarization.
He found that the results of such an expression and digestion of the residue gave an average equal to the ordinary digestion for one hour and a half.
TRIANGLE SUGAR ESTATES
The cane on the green fields has shown a much more even condition than on virgin soil. All the infected cultivars were among those planted in the first experimental site, next to the already infected area, and none of the isolated plants succumbed to the disease. This was especially noticeable in the early stages of growth before the cane covers.
SINCLAIR considered row irrigation desirable as the shade of the cane would prevent excessive evaporation.
THE MECHANISATION OF AGRICULTURE AS APPLIED TO SUGARCANE CULTIVATION
The Don manufacturers in this country are working on the problem, and the Mechanization Committee recently imported a William. The progress made in the evolution of cheap loading equipment suitable for use in Natal will contribute materially to the solution of the labor problem for some time to come. LLOYD informed the meeting that, among his various duties at the Sugar Association, he was fortunate enough to become Secretary of the Mechanization Committee.
From the beginning of the committee's work it was recognized that it faced a very difficult task.
A SYSTEM FOR THE MECHANISATION OF CANE HARVESTING
The construction of this machine is simple and the sections would be light, the heaviest part of the machine being the cutter with the drive gear. To keep the number of units required to transport the cane to. For loading the tram truck, it is suggested that the truck can be loaded on a trailer type in the same way as the detachable bodies.
The unloading of the cargo would be handled by the transport driver and the worker.
THE CORRECT USE OF IMPLEMENTS ON THE CANE FARM
Patient research into the correct operation of this tool has been amply rewarded. Covering the holes with the hoe at the bottom of the furrow (B). d) Controversy arose because this machine had no mouldboards and the passage of the plower streams (D), preceded by the plow tip (E) (in the close-up image), left only a shallow furrow after planting. The diagram clearly shows that the mouldboards of the regular furrow machine provide more furrow width than planting depth.
With regard to the planting machine, he suggested the possibility of combining psychology with mechanics in the training of operators in regular rhythmic feeding of the machine.
MECHANICAL LOADING OF CANE IN NATAL AND ZULULAND
- The Drag-line Loader
- The Stack Loader
- The Grab Loader
- Suitability of conditions for Van der Watt trailer
MECHANICAL CHARGE OF NATAL AND ZULULAND CANES. the contrivances now being made to the machine include the following improvements:—. i) The loader shall be a separate unit which may be mounted on (a) its own wheels, (b) a 3-ton motor truck, (c) statically mounted, or (d) any other mounting that may to be requested by the grower, ii) Replacement of friction dog gears and claws. iii) Using a second winch to pull a pack while the other pack is being loaded, (iv) More versatile controls throughout. Loader rtjttter: On top of high platform lifting bundles from wagons and placing them on S.A.R. The trailer is not electrically operated, but has a rotary action which is activated by pulling or pushing the tractor as appropriate. This is the size of the stack that will weigh 3 tons and is what is required for a trailer load.
These are clipped onto the frame beams and once the stick has been tied, they are removed to allow the trailer to approach.
CHEMICAL WEED KILLERS*
Because of their potential ultimate effect on the weed problem, then, large-scale use of weed control should currently be considered with caution. The solution to this problem can be the use of selective weed killer mixed with contact sprays. THE PRESIDENT said chemical weed killers could be a major labor-saving device on the farm.
Lewis, stated that these weed killers could be used by mixing them with soil; and in response Mr.
THE DISTRIBUTION OF TEMPERATURE IN THE SUGAR BELT OF NATAL AND ZULULAND
In the large inner valleys, on the other hand, the warmest month is January and the coolest month is June, where the temperature gradient is steeper than Experiment Station. The highest mean monthly temperature for a single year was 83.5° for January, 1944, at Mkuzi, and the lowest 56.9° for July, 1942, at Eshowe, making an absolute range of 26.6° in the mean monthly temperature. The President reminded the meeting that knowledge of climatic conditions was essential to the proper understanding of sugarcane growth, and that a considerable amount of data was published in the.
Beater had made many useful contributions to the knowledge of the climatic conditions of the sugar belt, and this article dealt with a subject not previously fully treated.
ARTIFICIAL STIMULATION OF PRECIPITATION
The first of these is the release of latent heat of fusion due to 104 longer saturated with water and the supercooled water droplets will begin to evaporate, providing a further source of water vapor to fuel ice crystal growth. Regarding the promotion of rain from the stratiform cloud, a report published in the Bulletin of the US Met.
Parts of the cumulonimbus where ice crystals are present do not have the distinct outline of cumulus cloud.
FURTHER REPORT ON SUGARCANE BREEDING IN SOUTH AFRICA
An inflorescence of Co.205 in the first room was similar to the latter in fertility, one had no pollen grains with starch, and the third did not emerge. In the second compartment, the only inflorescence of this variety that emerged showed good dehiscence and most of the pollen grains appeared to be viable. In the third compartment, almost all the pollen grains were viable, and good emergence was shown by the only inflorescence that emerged.
Two inflorescences failed to emerge, but in the third by August 23, all anthers appeared to reveal 90 percent, starch-filled pollen grains.
SOME FURTHER INSECTICIDE TESTS AGAINST THE ELEGANT GRASSHOPPER
Bexadust, containing 0.5 percent of the gamma isomer of benzene hexachloride, consistently outperformed the other materials. Mortality may have resulted from respiratory asphyxiation from the concentrated salt solution produced. The experiment therefore does not exclude the possibility of death due to suffocation of the airways.
Bexadust, a powder containing 0.5 percent of the gamma isomer of benzene hexachloride, was the most satisfactory insecticide tested, giving a kill of nearly 100 percent.
THE EFFECT OF BENZENE HEXACHLORIDE AND DDT DUSTS ON THE GERMINATION OF SUGARCANE
DDT or 0.5 percent gamma-benzene hexachloride had no significant effect on the germination of two types of sugar cane. CHRISTIANSON asked if Dr. Dick had tried the effect on the germination of cane sugar that was infected with mealybugs. Tests showed dust contained 2.5 percent. gammabenzene hexachloride had no significant effect on the germination of two types of sugarcane.
Dick tested the effects on the germination of cane stands infested with whiteflies.
SUGARCANE AGRICULTURE FOR BEGINNERS
That is, the set of cane placed at the bottom of the furrow will be about 9 inches from the normal surface of the soil. It has given the best yields on heavy red-brown soils and dark soils typical of soils in the Empangeni area where Co.281 grows so much. She. also formed a large part of the crop in the alluvial river flats of Umfolozi.
There are only a few areas in the sugar belt where the sugar sector is not flourishing, and these include some of the poor.
SUGARCANE YIELDS AS INFLUENCED BY CROP DEVELOPMENT
When the cane is planted, it is laid horizontally, and in this position the hormones also migrate to the side of the pot that is now lowest. The production of these shoot roots is now influenced to some extent by the mode of shoot development. Each shoot arises from a small bud at the base of the primary shoot, so the greater the number of buds underground on the latter, the more shoots can be produced.
So it seems that the figures showing the percentage of germination are misleading - the important figure is that of the rate of emergence.
ABSTRACT OF PAPERS
Mechanical difficulties experienced in the earlier stages of the experiment were successfully overcome, but the results obtained were not satisfactory. The main hormone herbicides currently used are methoxone and 2.4.D, of which the last four formulations are available - the acid itself, the sodium and ammonium salts, the ester formulations and the amine formulations. Bexadust, a powder containing 0.5 percent of the gamma isomer of benzene hexachloride, killed nearly all hoppers in four separate tests.
A powder, stated to contain 2 per cent, of the gamma isomer, gave inconsistent results and was not as effective as Bexadust.
INSTRUCTIONS TO AUTHORS
