90 



In black soils at Barbados for the most part plant canes are 

 alone cultivated. The following, therefore, are the relative results, 

 during these four years, of some of the best selected seedlings 

 grown as plant canes in black soils, taking the White Transparent 

 variety at lOO as the standard : — 



White Transparent ... lOO 



B. 147 ... ... 104 



B. 208 ... ... 105 



In red soils the following were the corresponding average 

 results for plants and ratoons : — 



White Transparent ... 100 



D. 95 ... ... 116 



B. 208 ... ... 121 



The average results of B. 147 in red soils place that variety 

 below the White Transparent. 



It should be pointed out, that the best variety judged by the 

 average of all localities is not necessarily the variety that will give 

 the best results on a particular estate. The planter should ascertain 

 the reports of the varieties that give the best results in his loca- 

 lity, and in the first place give them a trial. In this way he will 

 adapt the results to the circumstance of his own cultivation. This 

 conclusion is well pointed by the results obtained with B. 147, 

 which are much better in one or two parishes of Barbados than else- 

 where in that island. In these parishes the increased yield is far 

 beyond the average quoted above, and has been such as to justify 

 one large proprietor in planting it on a large scale on several 

 estates. 



ARTIFICIAL CROSS FERTILIZATION. 



This experiment has been successfully carried out last Novem- 

 ber by Mr. Lewton-Brain, Mycologist on the staff of the Imperial 

 Department of Agriculture, who worked with some of the most 

 promising varieties of Barbados seedlings. A very small propor- 

 tion of the seed germinated, but sufficient to justify a continuation 

 of the experiment n^xt season on a much larger scale. 



ATTEMPTS TO IMPROVE EXISTING VARIETIES BY CHEMICAL 

 SELECTION OF THE ' SEED-CANE.' 



During the period 1900-4 a continuous series of experiments has 

 been carried on with the object of ascertaining whether it is pos- 

 sible, by repeatedly selecting plants from the richest plants of a 

 given variety, gradually to increase the average richness of the 

 variety. 



It appears that, with a given variety, the richness or poorness of 

 the seed-cane does not affect the quality of the juice of the result- 

 ing crop. If these results are confirmed by subsequent experi- 

 ments, one of two conclusions seems inevitable. Either it is im- 

 possible, on account of disturbing influences, to ascertain the 

 relative potential richness of individual canes of the same variety, 

 or the average richness of a given variety is a constant property of 



