Excerpt from Quensland, Bureau of Sugar Experiment Stations: Monthly Notes on Grubs and Other Cane Pests

Apparently the general custom in all the grub districts has been to destroy the principal humus-forming elements by burning all the trash and failing to rotate cane with a green crop. So far we have only discovered one farmer who is working his land along the lines that science would suggest, and it is interesting to note that his farm, though originally rather poor land, is now among the best in the region about Gordonvale. Furthermore, he is not troubled with grubs, though the cane on near-by farms went down because of them. Moreover, this particular farm has better soil to-day than when it was opened up about twenty years ago. As to the treatment: the land was given a dressing of lime at the rate of about 1 ton per acre. A cr0p of beans was then turned under, preparatory to planting cane. After two ratoons and ploughing in all the trash another crop of beans was worked into the soil, and in addition about 5 cwt. Of meatworks manure per acre. This rotation has been followed up, with the result that our tests now show an abundant supply of humus. Recently with the addition of about 2 cwt. Of nitrate of soda per acre this land has shown remarkable results. The crop is easily 50 per cent. Better than that of the adjoining farm, which was planted at the same time. I must not neglect to add that this farmer cultivates well, which is not only an important factor in plant development, but may be shown to have considerable bearing upon grub control. This control would come about through the con servation of soil moisture, which would not only stimulate the growth of the cane, making it more resistant to the attacks of grubs, but the conserved moisture would also be of material assistance to the develop ment of fungous organisms destructive to the grubs. These parasites cannot work in dry soil, hence it is a well-recognised fact that grubs are most destructive in a dry season or upon dry soils.

The action of nitrate of soda or sulphate of ammonia is a marked stimulation of plant-growth and root-development, which makes the cane more resistant to the attack of grubs. Where there is a rapid renew ing of roots as they are eaten off by grubs, the cane is able to hold its footing, and does not go down before the winds. This point was well illustrated in one field that we visited, a part of which had been treated with about 2 cwt. Of sulphate of ammonia per acre. The cane of part of the field was all down, while right to the line in the treated plot it stood erect and vigorous. The untreated portion could not be ratooned, because all the stools were too much out of the ground.

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