C. A. BARBER 167 



North India than in South, but the habit of trashing the cane at Taliparamba 

 has made it necessary to make the observations earlier there too. Now a 

 study of the relative length of joints at different periods of growth shows 

 that, within a short time of the commencement of joint formation, these 

 bscome very long, soon reaching a maximum, after which they gradually 

 diminish till near harvest time. The joints in the earlier portion of the year 

 are therefore longer than in the later, and the values in the tables for North 

 India and Taliparamba occupy a more favourable place than they should do. 

 when compared with other localities. This is especially the case with Aligarli 

 where only six canes were measured, only six months old. The apparentlv 

 high position of Aligarh is thus somewhat discounted, and similar allowance 

 must be made in certain other cases. But, on the whole, when it is possible 

 to check it by comparing canes growing during equal periods, it has been 

 found that there is less discrepancy caused by this factor than would be 

 expected. 



It is a different matter when we consider the average length of season 

 in different parts of the country. As is well known, the period of cane forma- 

 tion in North India is very much less than it is in the warmer, tropical parts. 

 Whereas the season of active growth is very short in North India, often hardly 

 reaching six months, it usually extends to nearly twelve in the South. The 

 figures representing growth par mensem give a great advantage to North Indian 

 stations, and this must be held in view when comparing them with the wet 

 land localities and, espscially, when considering the low place occupied by the 

 Cane-breeding Station. After all, the total length of cane is the chief item 

 t(0 be taken into account, and not the enormous rapidity of growth taking 

 place in North India during the months of heavy rainfall and great heat. 



But, from the crop point of view, the amount of tillering must also be 

 considered. It is probable that this is greater in the free, light soils of the 

 Gangetic alluvium than in the heavy clays of the Peninsula.^ But, although it 

 is highly desirable for accurate figures to be obtained on tillering, it has not 

 been possible to include this character in the general measurements taken. 

 And a similar remark may be made as to the relative richness of the juice in 

 difEereut places. 



The time at which the sets are sown is of some importance, as little actual 

 gro\vth takes place in North India until the rains come, excepting where there 

 is abundant irrigation. The planting times vary, in our observations, from 



^ Some preliminary figures have since become available on this subject and are included 

 in Memoir No. 4. Mem. Dep. Agric, Ind., Boi. Ser., Vol. X, No. 2. 



