856 Agricultural Gazette of N.S.W. [Dec. 2, 1920. 



of a better crop two years hence? Perisli the thought! Use the whole 

 length; it makes little difference after all! And so the crop that might be 

 better than its progenitor, and that might become the progenitor of better 

 still, is sacrificed once more, and the grower remains in the sphere to which 

 his methods condemn him. 



If anyone considers we exaggerate the situation let him think about it 

 once more. Let him ask himself how much serious selection he practices 

 in relation to freedom from disease. Obviously debilitated and diseased 

 plants are no doubt avoided, but there is reason to fear that even this is not 

 consistently done. What is wanted is a knowledge of the earlier indications 

 of the presence of disease — in other words, what especially to avoid in this 

 connection. 



The soundness of this doctrine of selection for freedom from disease may 

 be indicated briefly here, though the general subject of diseases will be 

 dealt with later on. The prevalence of Fiji disease some years ago was 

 almost certainly due to infected cane being planted before growers knew 

 much about it. Later, when losses had inculcated greater care, farmers 

 largely controlled the disease by using for seed purposes only clean canes, 

 and by rooting out every infected stool as soon as the disease manifested 

 its presence in the crop. Gumming is also a condition that is easily de- 

 tected, but it has spread extensively, and the facts suggest that the disease 

 is planted with the sets. Yet the presence of gumming can be easily proved 

 by exposing a cut cane to the sun for a few minutes. The oozing of a waxy 

 substance from the cut surface will presently tell the tale. With such a 

 simple method of detection, and by the employment of methods of cutting 

 the sets that are not likely to spread the disease from clean canes to 

 infected ones, it should be possible to keep the farm fairly free from it. 



Thus the indications of the presence of disease require to be studied, 

 more especially as disease is often present in an incipient state without 

 greatly affecting the standing crop, but yet sufficient to spell disaster if the 

 cane were used for seed purposes. 



The Value of Good Seed. 



Upon this question of the importance of good seed, Dr. Cobb has written 

 some very pertinent matter : — " Experiments corroborate ancient practice, 

 exemplified by the best and most successful farmers of all time, namely, that 

 the better the seed the better the resulting crop will be. This is not to say 

 that good seed will always give a good crop and never a poor one, nor is it 

 to say that poor seed may not give a good crop sometimes. The fact is 

 that good seed under the same conditions as poor seed, will give better re- 

 sults. There is no exception to this rule." 



" It is," he adds, " quite remarkable what fair crops can be raised from 

 comparatively poor seed — given good soil, good tillage, good season, and no 

 pests or diseases," but the increase of the profits of sugar-growing in New 

 South Wales and the development of the industry on a sound basis are not 

 going to be by carelessness in propagation. 



