116 STUDIES IN INDIAN SUGARCANE SEEDLINGS 



occasions it lias })een noticed that rats have gained access to the cages, have 

 pulled together the fluffy inflorescence to form a nest, and have even introduced 

 pieces of foreign arrows into the cages — an undesired attempt at cross-pollina- 

 tion on their part ! Half-inch wire netting has to be added when rats are 

 abundant. 



In the following table a summary is arranged, showing the origin and 

 fate of the seedlings raised during the period 1912-14, with notes on the per- 

 centage of open anthers, and on the possible male parentage of the seedlings, 

 where the flowers were unprotected from foreign pollination. It may be 

 noted that comparatively few of the inflorescences wore jjrotected, and that 

 then only the female parent is known with certainty : batches of seedlings 

 from unprotected arrows are termed " General Collection," as contrasted 

 with '■ Crossed " or " Selfed '" lots. 



A study of the contents of the table brings to light certain interesting 

 facts regarding the germinating power and vitality of the different classes of 

 seedlings. The local canes grown by ryots round Coimbatore are five 

 in number, and these produced the great bulk of the seedlings of the period. 

 These are thick (probably exotic ?) canes which have been established for a 

 number of years •.—Chittan, Karun, Kaludai Boothan, Poovan and Vellai. 

 From their detailed morphological study, it seems probable that the first three 

 are closely related to one another, there being some ground for supposing that 

 Chittan, a striped cane, is the oldest and that Kamn (claret) and Kaludai 

 Boothan (green with blush of j)iiik) have at some time arisen as sports from it. 

 Karun and Chittan produced a large number of seedlings. They are hardy 

 canes of moderate value, and, in the absence of the better ones, a good number 

 of their seedlings were planted out. Kaludai Booth/ni. on the other hand, 

 was disappointing in germination (although it is interesting to note that in 

 the succeeding year matters were reversed) and, further, its seedlings were 

 unfortunate in that they were planted out in inferior land. Poovan is a glaucous 

 green cane with rather poor juice, much appreciated as an eating cane, and is 

 fairly widely cultivated. It proved difficult to raise seedlings from it and 

 they were different in character from those obtained in the first year, thus 

 supporting the idea that the latter were in some way abnormal. No seedlings 

 were obtained from Vellai arrows. This is by far the best local cane but, as 

 will be seen later, the development of pollen is very precarious (c/. also PI. II). 

 Naanal, although a South Indian cane, is not grown near Coimbatore and is 

 very different from the rest. It appears to be an indigenous or desi cane 

 somewhat similar to the Chin group, although a good deal thicker than most 

 of thera, is very hardy and has fair juice, The arrows were obtained from 



