191 



hope througli the publication of this note that some correspondent 

 may inform us where copies of the papers may be had as it is desired 

 to secure them for the Library of the Botanical Department. 



Dr. Walter H. Ince has made a preliminary examination of the 

 bark for Silica — it being thought from its brittle and extremely hard 

 character, that a large amount of this substance would be found. 

 The analysis is given below : — 



Bark called "El Canto." —i>ica?i?a hypoleuca, Benth. 



^ ::: ::: ::/:Sh— 



Silica ... ... . . ; '65 on dry bark. 



W. H. I. 



197. -SUGAR CANE CULTIVATION. 



A SHORT review of what has been lately done in connection with 

 this industry, will I trust, prove interesting. At the Agricultural 

 Society's meeting of the 11th December, 1894, a resolution was passed 



in the following terms : — 



"That in the opinion of this committee it is desirable to establish at once 

 "a small experimental plot for growing and testing seedling varieties of cane, 

 "and that a Sub-committee of three be appointed to carry out this object.." 



The sub-committee met, and it was unanimously decided that a 

 jmaU experimental plot should be started at the Royal Botanic 

 Gardens under the immediate supervision of the Superintendent, and 

 this course was recommended in the report of the committee which 

 was adopted by the Society in March, 1895. The Sub-committee 

 recommended that this course was advisable for the following reasons : — 



1st — To test the value of the seedlings in comparison with other varieties of 



sugar cane. 

 2nd — To prove their suitability for cultiv-ation in our climate and soil. 

 3rd — To provide a depot for the supply of plants for extended cultivation. 

 4th — To test the value of manure in all stages of the growth of the cane. 



It was stated in my annual report for 1894 that several varieties 

 of seedling canes had been received from Demerara, and some from 

 Barbados and the following was written : — 



" The culture of these varieties has been conducted with the 

 greatest care and the reasons for the establishment of the cultivation 

 given as above, have been kept most fully in view, especially the first, 

 as it is considered that the object should be, to select the best canes 

 out of the many varieties so as only to propagate those which give 

 promise of the best yield. After this is fairly ascertained, the next 

 object will then be to test their suitability for culture in Trinidad. It 

 is well known that the soil at the gardens is of the very poorest class, 

 but this Avill, we think, be not a little advantage in the forthcoming 



