THE IMPROVEMENT OF THE SUGAR-CANE BY HYBRIDISATION, 831 
Only those canes which had stood the strongest tests on a large 
scale for a number of years were used in the experiments. Over 600 
spikelets were emasculated and artificially pollinated, of which over 
400 were spikelets of B. 147 and B. 208. (See fig.) 
The results of this work have not been satisfactory, as an un- 
favourable season with windy showery weather destroyed all chances 
of good success. 
Some further particulars of the results obtained by Lewton-Brain in 
1904 in Barbados may be interesting. He experimented with some of 
the best Barbados varieties as the parent plants, and as a result obtained 
five hybrids of known pedigree. ‘These have been carefully grown, and 
although it is impossible at present to say what their commercial value 
will be, yet it may be interesting to record a few external features that 
have been noticed during the growing season, The pedigree seedlings 
consist of the following : 
(1) Three holes of B.H. 1; cross between B. 1376 9 x B. 1529 6 
(2) One hole of B.H.15; _,, 5 B. 38289 9 x B. 1529 ¢ 
(3) One hole of B.H.18;_,, 3 B. 8289 9 x B. 1855 ¢ 
DESCRIPTION OF PARENTS. 
In the following description of the varieties used in hybridising only 
the more important characteristics are noted, and are chiefly those which 
can be used in comparing with the descriptions of the hybrids : 
B. 1876: Germinating power good; colour dull yellowish-green ; 
habit of growth more or less recumbent; internodes cylindrical; eyes 
round ; dried leaf-sheaths fall readily ; disease-resistance fair. 
B. 1529: Germinating power under average; colour red; habit of 
growth upright ; internodes variable, but generally roundish ; eyes round ; 
dried leaf-sheaths somewhat adherent; disease-resistance good. 
B. 8289: Germinating power fair; colour yellowish-green ; habit of 
growth recumbent ; internodes cylindrical ; eyes round ; dried leaf-sheaths 
fall readily ; disease-resistance very good. 
B. 1855: Germinating power fair; colour red; habit of growth 
generally upright; internodes variable, but generally roundish; eyes 
round ; dried leaf-sheaths fall readily ; disease-resistance fair. 
DESCRIPTION OF Hypribs. 
Cross 1.—B. 13876 9 x B. 1529 ¢g : Owing to some differences in the 
three holes of the cross B. 1876 2 x B. 1529 4, it has been proposed to 
cultivate them separately under different nomenclature. The following 
are the characters : 
B.HH. 1 = B.HH. 8: Colour yellowish-green ; habit of growth recum- 
bent; internodes roundish; eyes round; dried leaf-sheaths somewhat 
adherent; disease-resistance fair. 
B.HH. 2: Colour yellowish-green ; habit of growth upright; inter- 
nodes variable; eyes round; dried leaf-sheaths fall readily; disease- 
resistance fair. 
All the canes from this cross were yellowish-green in colour, thus 
resembling the seed-bearing parent B. 1376, and not B. 1529, which is a 
