▁the ▁developing ▁world . ▁In ▁hand ▁har vest ing , ▁the ▁field ▁is ▁first ▁set ▁on ▁fire . ▁The ▁fire ▁burn s ▁dry ▁leaves , ▁and ▁ch ases ▁away ▁or ▁k ills ▁ven om ous ▁sn akes , ▁without ▁harm ing ▁the ▁stal ks ▁and ▁roots . ▁Har vest ers ▁then ▁cut ▁the ▁can e ▁just ▁above ▁ground - level ▁using ▁can e ▁kn ives ▁or ▁mach etes . ▁A ▁sk illed ▁har v ester ▁can ▁cut ▁ ▁of ▁sugar c ane ▁per ▁hour . ▁ ▁Mechan ical ▁har vest ing ▁uses ▁a ▁combine , ▁or ▁sugar c ane ▁har v ester . ▁The ▁Aust o ft ▁ 7 0 0 0 ▁series , ▁the ▁original ▁modern ▁har v ester ▁design , ▁has ▁now ▁been ▁copied ▁by ▁other ▁companies , ▁including ▁C ame co   /   John ▁De ere . ▁The ▁machine ▁cut s ▁the ▁can e ▁at ▁the ▁base ▁of ▁the ▁st alk , ▁stri ps ▁the ▁leaves , ▁ch ops ▁the ▁can e ▁into ▁consistent ▁lengths ▁and ▁depos its ▁it ▁into ▁a ▁trans porter ▁following ▁alongside . ▁The ▁har v ester ▁then ▁blow s ▁the ▁tr ash ▁back ▁onto ▁the ▁field . ▁Such ▁machines ▁can ▁har vest ▁ ▁each ▁hour ; ▁however , ▁har v ested ▁can e ▁must ▁be ▁rapidly ▁processed . ▁Once ▁cut , ▁sugar c ane ▁begins ▁to ▁lose ▁its ▁sugar ▁content , ▁and ▁damage ▁to ▁the ▁can e ▁during ▁mechanical ▁har vest ing ▁acceler ates ▁this ▁decl ine . ▁This ▁decl ine ▁is ▁offset ▁because ▁a