19U.\ SUGAR CANE EXPERIMENTS lOlS-20. 71 



Although a few of these seadlings might appear hardly worthy of 

 retention it is considered preferable, especially at the start to err on 

 the side of leniency. Generally it will be seen from the above that 

 the seedlings raised from the Ijourbou gave the largest weight of canes 

 and those from L. 511, B. 68;55 and H. ? the best juice. The seedlings 

 raised in 1918 are much better than those of the previous year. 



When the stools of these selected varieties have grown np, cuttings 

 will be planted out in plots about October-November and grown in 

 competition with standard varieties such as Bourbon, B. 156, Badilla or 

 Ba. 6032. From the results obtained a further selection will be made, 

 only those varieties which give very good results will be kept and planted 

 in larger plots. 



Seedlings raised in 1919. 



.t)Lbout 12,003 seedlings were raised in 1919 ; of these over 4,530 were 

 potted and 2,577 of the mast vigorous planted out in the field during 

 March and April, 1920. Unfortunately about 39 per cent, of these have 

 been killed out by the very severe drought which started in the middle 

 of March and has continued to -June 15. A large number of supplies in 

 bamboo pots are available, but the season is so far advanced that it is 

 hardly possible for these to come to maturity by May next. 



RESULTS OF TESTS OF VARIETIES. 



With the exception of Fields 7 and 9, which were under the control of 

 the St. Augustine Estate authorities, the canes under report were grown 

 at the Experiment Station, St. Augustine, and consist of plant canes and 

 first ratoons. Plant canes received an application of pen manure at the 

 rate of 15 tons per acre. No manures were applied to ratoons and all 

 the canes received ordinary estate ciiltivation. 



During the period under review attacks from frog-hopper were 

 practically nil and the cultivation suffered very little from root disease. 

 A leaf disease which was observed about three years ago on D. 3958 has 

 spread considerably and during the latter part of 1919 Mr. C. B. Williams 

 Entomologist in charge of frog-hopper investigations, found that nearly 

 75 per cent, of the varieties grown at the Experiment Station were 

 attacked. Specimens forwarded to the Bureau of Plant Pathology, 

 U..S.A., have been identified by Dr. E. W. Brandes as the Mosaic disease 

 of the sugar-cane. So far, the disease has not done much damage and 

 the greatest care is being observed in its eradication which consists in 

 digging out all cane stools affected. 



The results obtained from plant canes are recorded in Tables III to 

 VII those from the first ratoons in Tables VIII to X: Table XI gives 

 the average results for plant canes and ratoons. 



Information with regard to the date of planting, and testing of 

 the juice is given at the head of the Tables. 



Plant Canes. 

 The plant canes in Field 9 Valsayn, Table III, were 19.V months old 

 when reaped. The greater part of the cultivation was cut in October 

 for supplying plants to planters, only approximately half an acre being 

 reserved for getting the tonnage of canes per acre and testing the quality 

 of the juice. 



