223 



for specialists to settle, but the variation shown in the form of bulbs ^ 

 and the colour of the flower leads to the belief that the three are 

 merely forms of the one species indicated by the flower being almost 

 identical in form no matter what colour is assumed or what shape is 

 put on by the pseudo-bulb. 



Whether they are eventually proved to be species, or mere varieties, 

 it still remains that there are three forms of Gongora native to 

 Trinidad : — 1st, the dark purple; 2nd, the spotted; and 3rd, the straw- 

 coloured ; all of which are easy of cultivation at or near to sea -level in 

 positions, sheltered from the wind. 



211.-"SUGAR CA-N-Rr-iExtracf.) 



DOES THE ARROWING OF SUGAR CANE AFFECT ITS YIELD AND ITS SACCHARINE CONTENTS, 



In Java it has been observed that of late years the cane is more 

 disposed to flowering than formerly, and this is not to be wondered 

 at. Formerly, the tops from grinding canes were exclusively used 

 for planting new fields, which tops were always taken from stalks that 

 had not blossomed, while, as a rule, no seed was taken from canes 

 which had arrowed. By this means the individuals which had 

 bloomed were always eliminated as material for propagation, causing 

 a greater proportion of the descendants of non-flowering canes to be 

 cultivated. Arrowing of the cane grew more and more uncommon, 

 and gradually a variety of cane has arisen that has lost its capacity 

 of producing flowers. This has however changed, since the planters 

 have been obliged, owing to the sereh disease, to plant cane for seed 

 only in order to be always to have a supply of sound seed cane. The 

 top is cut from these canes when they have reached the age of six 

 months, and have not yet had an opportunity of flowering. In this 

 case one cannot know whether the cane has a disposition to flower or 

 not, and as the whole is planted the unconscious selection of nonflower- 

 ing cane, formerly in operation, ceases, and at present seed is planted 

 of cane which is disposed to flower as well as of cane which does not 

 show this property. 



Bearing this in mind, and also with a view to die questions aris- 

 ing from the discussion as to whether cane from seed can be used as a 

 progenitor of new varieties, which will be more apt to flower than 

 such as have for centuries been propagated by cuttings, it seemed to 

 me not uninteresting to investigate whether canes that had arrowed 

 might perchance be less profitable, as regards yield or saccharine con- 

 tents, than those from which no flower had proceeded. For this 



