Holing cane

Holing cane was a process by which the slave labor or gangs planted the sugar cane on the plantations.

The gangs were generally divided into three groups, The Lead gang or field gang would work a plot of land about 4 by four foot square. This ground breaking was usually done in a very superficial manner with the laborer giving every appearance of working his hardest but exerting very little force. Within this grid they would fashion a series holes, usually by following the holes from previous year’s plantings, in a lines, like a checkerboard. A grid would be laid out moving the soil from the cane holes to the bank creating parallel lines, this was called the "distance" or "cross-hole bank" as the dirt was removed from the cane holes. This was a very laborious process especially in wet weather or when trying to work through dry soil or a network of cut cane and last years’ roots. On average a laborer could complete 50 to 100 cane holes in a day depending on his strength. The holes would be about 6 to 8 inches deep.

The secondary gang or the lesser able men and women would set cuttings of cane in the holes and cover them with a mixture of manure and soil. The manure mixture was carried by hand in baskets to avoid damage to the plantings. The cutting of last year’s sugar cane would make the new sugar cane crop and would be arranged in rows to allow the prevailing winds to disperse moisture in and around the cane to reduce the chances of a fungal disease, which ruined many crops each year.

The third gang, who were the least able bodied workers and the very young, served as gofers, helpers, rat-chasers, menials and kept the fields weeded.