334 PLANTING ENTEBPBISE IN THE WEST INDIES. [Maech, 



PLANTING ENTERPRISE IN TEE WEST INDIES. 



IL 



tHROUGH the agency of the Royal Gardens at Kew, an 

 institution to which the West Indies is especially indebted, 

 numerous varieties of sugar-canes have been introduced, many 

 of which have proved of great value. Recently, a large and success- 

 ful consignment of new sugar-canes was received in Jamaica, from 

 Mauritius, which promises to yield several new and productive 

 canes. The consignment consisted of 44 varieties of canes 

 carefully selected by Mr. John Home, F.L.S., Director of Gardens 

 and Forests, Mauritius. 



Mr. Home, having given special attention for many years to the 

 selection and cultivation of sugar-canes, was commissioned by the 

 Chamber of Agriculture in Mauritius to make a selection of the best 

 sugar-canes found in Australia and the islands of the Pacij&c, and 

 forward them for experimental purposes to that island. This 

 Mr. Home did during the years 1877-78, finally closing his labours 

 in Fiji. From the canes thus obtained, Mr. Home, by permission of 

 the Government of Mauritius, forwarded 44 of the best varieties to 

 Jamaica, where all but one, No. 3, have arrived safely. In forwarding 

 these canes, Mr. Home writes : — 



' The varieties are all good strong growers, and yield a large 

 quantity of sugar. In this latter respect I would particularly call 

 your attention to the "Lahina" variety. I was told, when in the 

 Sandwich Islands, that this cane yielded as much as an average 

 of 6 tons of sugar per acre on areas as extensive as 100 acres ; 

 and 7^ tons per acre, on an average, over areas of 20 acres or less 

 in extent. However, after the first ratoons it should be uprooted, 

 as the second ratoons are nearly or almost worthless. The variety 

 "Samuri" is the favourite cane with the sugar-cane planters in 

 Fiji. It is hardy, grows rapidly, and yields sugar freely.' 



While in Louisiana, U.S.A., in December of last year, I found that 

 the Lahina cane, mentioned above, was under cultivation there, and 

 was very favourably reported upon. I brought with me to Jamaica 

 an additional supply of this cane for distribution, as well as suppKes 

 of two other valuable canes, known in Louisiana as the Red Ribbon 

 and Java canes. 



Turning again to the more general question of the cultivation of 

 sugar in the West Indies, I would mention that for most of the low 

 rich lands of our West India possessions, where the indigenous labour 

 is abundant and cheap, as in Barbados, or where coolie emigration, to 



