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disease had been growing, for the purpose of showing their power of 

 withstanding attack. During 1895 the laud on which they were 

 grown was carefully ciiltivated and the canes were "trashed" at 

 frequent intervals. 



The disease is however present in a minor degree in all, but to 

 some varieties little harm has been done, and only one or two really 

 rotten canes have been found. 



This fact points the way for further improvement, for it is possible 

 that we may be able to select from the varieties under trial some kind, 

 or kinds which will really be disease resisting varieties, and large 

 sugar producers. I mentioned in my last report that the cane plot would 

 be given good cultivation, to test whether it would have any effect on 

 the progress of Tricliosphcpria. It is, I think, quite clear from the 

 appearance of the canes, that the attention given them has not been 

 in vain, and that the fungus has, in consequence been kept check ; as 

 there is certainly, not so much in the plot as there was during the 

 previous year. The attack by " termites" or " white ants" however 

 still continues, and many canes are cut off at or slightly above the 

 ground line. 



The element of yield per acre must be well considered in con- 

 ducting an experiment of this kind for a cane yielding high saccharine 

 contents, may be a poor cropper, while a cane yielding moderate sugar 

 contents may give a very large weight of cane to the acre, and thus 

 be more profitable to grow than one yielding higher sugar contents. 

 It would appear desirable therefore, first to select the varieties having 

 high sugar contents, and from these secondly to select those of a 

 vigorous constitution and disease resisting power, and thirdly, those 

 which will afford the largest yield. These objects are well brought 

 out by Messrs. Harrison and Jennian of British Guiana in their reports, 

 and it cannot be doubted that it is the proper plan to secure the best 

 results, as it is one Avhich has long been folloAved by the Agri-Horti- 

 cultural world in European countries, in dealing with numerous 

 economic plants and especially with the sugar beet, with unvarying 

 success. To fully carry out the idea, it is however necessary to take 

 seeds again and again from the beet seedling and other canes after 

 test, and by that means ultimately secure varieties of the very 

 highest class, 1st as sugar producers, 2nd as disease-resisting varieties, 

 and 3rd as crop producers. 



Why sugar producers are placed first is, that by their use, a 

 larger crop of sugar is produced from a less number of tons of cane ; 



