178 



THE AGRICULTUKAL NEWS 



June 10, 1911. 



In order to deterniine the period of ripening for 

 the Bengal varieties, Taylor planted them in long 

 rows and cut, as samples, every tenth stool of each, at 

 intervals, from the time the canes were nine months 

 old until they were fully ripe. No concentrated manure 

 was used on the experiment plots, as such manures 

 Produce considerable diffei-ences in the date of maxi- 

 mum maturity. The importance of the work attaches, 

 however, more to the period of maturitj- than to the 

 exact date. ^ 



Thi.s ([uestion of the period of maturity has several 

 important; applications, and may prove to be of con- 

 sidei-able significance, should it be found to be a fairly 

 constant character for each variety. If the value of 

 the percentage of sucrose in the juice is considered, it 

 means that this would not attain a maximum until 

 a certain time after the cane had commenced to ripen, 

 and that this time would vary in length according to the 

 variety examined. In like manner, different varieties 

 of canes in the same year and under similar external 

 conditions would have definite maximum values for 

 this percentage. Consequently, in making a compari- 

 son of different varieties in regard to the percentage of 

 sucrose in the juice, correct results would only be 

 arrived at by comparing these maximum values. 



From a practical or estate point of view, it should 

 now be evident that losses are bound to result if a late 

 and rapidly ripening cane is cut at an early date, or if an 

 early and rapidly ripening cane is cut too late. This 

 point is recognized in Bengal where, in one district 

 according to Taylor, the more intelligent cultivators 

 have definite seasons for reaping different kinds of cane. 

 Thus in considering the order in which the fields shall 

 be cut on an estate on which several \arieties are grown, 

 ■it is clear that the early ripening varieties must be cut 

 first, the slow ripening varieties next, and the late and 

 rapidly maturing canes last. Such a proceeding is 

 somewhat difticult of application under estate condi- 

 tions; it would depend to some extent on the quantity 

 of each variety grown, whether it was possible or 

 not to get each reaped within the period during which 

 the percentage of sucrose in its juice was at or near 

 a maximum. On estates where one variety alone is 

 grown, the reaping must extend over some time, so that 

 a cane rij)ening slowly is probably the must suitable 

 for such conditions, as in this case there is but little 

 difference in the richness of its juice during a long 

 period. 



As has been pointed out already, the question of 

 early or late ripening is one which would seem to affect 



comparative experiments on seedling and other canes, 

 and experiments with manures. In the first case, it 

 would appear to be necessary to compare varieties of' 

 canes only when e.ach has arrived at the condition of 

 maturity which accords with the most favourable values 

 of the percentage of sucrose in the juice, glucose ratio, 

 and such other points as may be under consideration. 

 If this condition is attained by different canes at 

 different dates, the resuUs will not be immediately 

 reliable if all the varieties are reaped and tested at 

 about the same time. The (piestion of comparing the 

 results obtained with the use of different manures 

 would appear to become even more comiilicated, as not 

 only is there the probability that the jieriod of matur- 

 ity of the various canes used must be taken into con- 

 sideration, but if this is an important point, it is influen- 

 ced in turn, by the several manures, each of which 

 would probably alter it to a different extent. 



].,astly, there is the i| uestion of the importance 

 of this point in relation to the possible segregation of 

 different characters of the sugar-cane as a result of 

 hybridization on Medelian lines. Definite evidence of 

 such segregration is not at present forthcoming, mainly 

 because insufficient experiments have as yet been con- 

 ducted to determine if it does or does not occur. But 

 in the future, in dealing with a high percentage of 

 sucrose in the juice as one possible character of a Men- 

 delian pair, it is clear that, if the maximum value of 

 this percentage is definitely dependent on the period 

 of maturity, this factor will ha\e to be taken into con- 

 sideration, as only the maximum value can be expected 

 to be a proper measure of the character. 



Till- various points indicated above must be 

 regarded as put forward from a theoretical point of 

 view, and as merely suggestive rather than actually 

 definite. The subject is very complicated, and 

 only one aspect of it has been considered here. It 

 would a})pear, however, that some weight may have to 

 be attached to the period of maturity in dealing 

 with the sugar-cane in relation to experimental 

 investigation and estate practice. 



THE CANADIAN NATIONAL EXHIBI- 

 TION, 1911. 



enabled information has been received from Messrs. 

 Fickford and Black to the effect that non-]ierishable 

 exhibits for the forthcoming Canadian National Exhi- 

 bition, to be held at Toronto from August 2(i to .Sep- 

 tember II, should be forwarded by the S.8. 'Oruro', 

 leaving Demeraraon July l(j, and Barbados on Jul}' 21. 

 Exhibits of a perishable nature must be forwarded by 

 the steamer which follows. 



