Interpretação do mapa de produção da cana-de-açúcar no sudeste do Planalto Central.

Resumo

            The author, in this paper, analyses the distribution of sugarcane cultures on the Southeast of the Brazilian Central Plateau.

            As a beginning she emphasizes the vulgar aspect assumed by the sugar-cane in the region, as a secondary ant not too lucrative a crop; but on the other hand, disseminated on the Central Plateau in which the sugar-mills and sugar-cane plantations often appear as part of the landscape.

            The local. markets are always well supplied of sugar-cane crust, sugar-cane brandy and inferior quality sugar.

            Before discussing the map itself, the author analyses the needs of the plant in what concerns to climate, showing under which rules the climatic conditions of the Central Plateau are favorable to the planting of sugar-cane.

            In what concerns to soil, the author states that the highest indexes of production correspond to the most fertile regions where more or less continuous forests appear and where the population is more dense. There are three of these regions: the valleys of the Grande and Paranaíba rivers and some of their tributaries; the Mata da Corda zone and the Mato Grosso de Goiás.

            The author emphasizes the fact that out of these three fertile and relatively well populated regions, on the "chapadões" (flat-top sedimentary formations) where the sandstone and felluginous concretions occur, there is a despicable agricultural activity and, if the sugar-cane is actually cultivated, it is used only for cattle feeding.

            The third part of this article includes the examination of the map, accompanied by an explanation of the method used in its execution.

            This said method used isarithms (lines connecting points of the same value).

            Then the author analyses the three fertile zones above mentioned and other production centers located on the limestones of the 'Série Bambuí" (Bambuí Series) 'Vão do Paraná" (Canyon-like valley of the Paraná river).

            She detaches, however, the production centers located on the valleys of the Paranaíba and Grande rivers, specially the latter, where the 'municípios" (districts) of Conquista and Conceição das Alagoas present the largest production index, respectively 25 536 and 8 976 kg/km².

            In finishing, the author analyses the low production centers and emphasizes the secondary aspect of the sugar-cane cultures on the Central Plateau.

            The production is larger where the production centers are most populated but, however, not sufficient to supply the markets in these centers due to lack of industrialization.

            The refined sugar is imported from other regions, chiefly from the sugar-mills located in São Paulo.