C. A, BARBER 117 



The two formulae for Saretha, Nargori, Sunnabile and the Thick cane group 

 are identical, and in the rest only differ in one figure. In the table the groups 

 have been arranged according to the length of the formulae. The wild 

 Saccharums and the Thick canes are, as might be expected, at the ends of the 

 series, and the indigenous Indian groups occupy an intermediate position. 

 The Red Mauritius canes grown at Nellikuppam show an extension of the 

 formula over that of the six varieties grown at the Cane-breeding Station. 

 One idea in having these canes dissected was to see how far the formula of a 

 thick cane might be extended under favourable conditions. Only good clumps 

 were dissected, the distance between the rows was four to five feet in place of 

 three feet at Coimbatore, and there could not well have been greater difference 

 in the character of the soil. That at Nellikuppam is a free sandy loam not un- 

 like the soils met with in the Gangetic alluvium, in place of the rather heavy, 

 slightly saltish land at Coimbatore. Besides this, the Red Mauritius variety 

 is noted as a rather free tillering kind. We have accordingly kept this series 

 separate, for, if comparisons are to be instituted between them and the 

 Indian canes, these too should be grown in the places best suited to them. 

 There were many plants in the clumps of most of the varieties dissected which 

 were poorly grown, often only consisting of one or two canes, and there 

 were also, occasionally, abnormally large single plants. By the employment 

 of a sufficiently large number of individual dissections, both of these extremes 

 have been ruled out, and it is assumed that a fair average has been obtained 

 for each variety and group. 



The wild Saccharums head the list in the extension of their formulae, 

 and the large number of es in Saccharum arundinaceum suggest that a single 

 / might with propriety be added to complete the series, which would then be 

 1 : 4 : 6 : 6 : 5 : 1. The average figures have accordingly been examined 

 to see what decimals were present at the end of each formula. Where such a 

 decimal exceeds one-quarter, it has been inserted, and it is seen that this only 

 occurs in the wild Saccharums and the Rogues from the thick cane plots. 

 We should expect that the full form of the Pansahi formula would be 1 : 3 : 4 : 

 3:1, Nargori 1 : 3 : 3 : 1, and perhaps Sunnabile 1 : 3 : 2 : 1, but the deci- 

 mals which could be added are insignificant. We may therefore suffo-est 

 that well grown specimens, or those under suitable conditions of growth, are 

 likely to have such an extension of the formula, as there is a marked tendency 

 in all the formulae for a fairly symmetrical series of figures. 



As regards the acclimatization of the different kinds, Saccliarum arundi- 

 naceum appears to be either very hardy or perfectly at home. The latter is 



