118 STUDIF:S in FNOIAN SUflARCANE SEEDLINGS 



Karur. .some fifty miles distant, and there is reason to suppose that some of 

 t!ie seedlings were abnormal. Seven of them showed marked resemblance to 

 Saccharum spnntaticHm and are s])oken of as the '' .spontaneum class " of 

 Nddnal seedlings. 



Of the arrows obtained from Bangalore. " Java," a valuable cane of 

 unknown origin, produced an enormous mimber of seedlings, an average of 

 at least 500 per pan. But, in spite of the greatest attention, including .special 

 treatment and early ])ricking out, tlie seedlings soon turned brownish yellow 

 t.i\d died in great numbers. This delicacy continued after potting up and, 

 of the whole lot of over 3,000 seedlings, it was only pos.sible to place 16 in pots 

 and to crrow two to maturity so that they could be analysed. The results of 

 the sowinw of B. 20S arrows, from which much was. expected was, on the other 

 hand, disappointing because of the poor germination, added to great mortality 

 when planted out. Cheni, an indigenous Mysore cane, somewhat resembling 

 Nnanal, also gave a poor result. 



Seedlings raised in the Botanic Garden, from indigenous North-Indian 

 canes introduced in the previous year, had both parents known. Soretha was 

 selfed and gave good results. It is a valuable cane in its tract (Meerut and 

 Aligarh) and is a constant flowerer. The crosses between Chm and Shalar- 

 ckynia and the wild S((rcJi(ni()n sponlanaim were also healthy and vigorous 

 throughout their growth. It was unfortunate that cro.sses could not be effected 

 between these North Indian canes and the thicker, exotic ones, but they did 

 not flower at the same time. The pollen in Chin and Shalarchynia was 

 undeveloped, and the crosses effected had their use, in that the perfect fertility 

 between Saccharum spontaneum and cultivated canes was demonstrated, and 

 the character of seedlings with Sacchanint spontaneum parentage was 

 established (Pi. VI). 



All the seedlings obtained during this sea.son were carefully studied at 

 crop time, according to a detailed plan left l)ehind by the author when 

 going on leave, and, as will be seen in the last sectioi, these descriptions form 

 the basis of the correlations studied between the morphological characters of 

 the seedlings and the quality of their juice. 



3. Period 1913-1.5. 



The canes growing on the newly founded Cane-breeding Station, planted 

 about May, did not flower to any great extent at the end of 1913, and outside 

 arrows were again chiefly used to obtain seedlings during this season. Great 

 help was. liowever. afforded liy a free flowering of the canes growing in the wet 



