Our present question, however, relates more to the Bourbou 

 individually. What is it ? 



Now. our experiment appeals to show thai we have secured in 

 what are known as " Bourbon " canes, two dirtinct varieties, [fthis 

 is so. a further question may well be asked ; Are these canes merely 

 varieties of the one kind or have they had an independent origin ? 



Personally 1 am of opinion that there is not only one. but dozens 

 of different kinds of the so-called ■•Bourbon" canes; which hypothesis 

 would appear to explain the variable results obtained by different 

 Estates. 



As a matter of fact almost any yellow cane unless it has some 

 specially marked distinctive feature is called a Bourbon on estates, 

 and on" our experiment plots. I have frequently heard seedlings 

 called "Bourbon" which I know to have originated from varieties 

 quite distinct from the Bourbon and therefore not of the same family, 

 or blood relationship at all. 



Such a mixture of different varieties as this, if it exists, (?) and 1 

 have the opinion of one of our best planters with whom I have dis- 

 cussed the matter, that it does ; cannot be for the good of the industry. 

 This gentleman says — " The extremes of readings for the two Bonrb ns 

 mini In- token to prove what I have always said — that variations hi that 

 cane arc as great as any observed between it and other varieties. 



Now as the Bourbon has always been taken as a standard in cane 

 experiments the question arises what " Bourbon " has been used ? Is 

 it the same or different to that used in other colonies. If not. the 

 results of two places working with a different standard would not be 

 easy of comparison. The question however appears to offer a means 

 for simple solution. Let specimens of the so-called Bourbon on each 

 estate be sent to a central station and grown in plots side by side. The 

 best kind of " Bourbon " could then easily be selected, and a standard 

 fixed upon which should be common to all experiment stations to their 

 considerable benefit. 



Again it may be possible, and 1 consider probable that there may 

 be "" Bourbon's" which are disease resisting canes, as well as Bourbon's 

 that easily succumb to Fungi : and this might also be proved at the 

 same time. 



Further, there may be " Bourbons " that produce fertile seed, as 

 well as some that are infertile, a possibility which would explain the 

 power to raise seedlings in one place and not in another. If one kind 

 could be found of high quality, which could readily be reproduced 

 from seed, it appears clear, that the chances of getting improved canes 

 would be greater, coming from the long acknowledged best of the cane 

 tribe, than from canes whose claim to public favour are not in any way 

 so prominently put forward. 



This article commenced with a question, what is the Bourbon 

 Cane ? We have not answered it. nor did we set out to answer it. but 

 merely write to raise a working hypothesis which may give a solution 

 to a question which, when carefully looked at. appears to be of consider- 

 able importance to the sugar interest. 



