120 RTUDTES TX TNDTAX 8UGAECANE SEEDLINGS 



(Andropogon Sorghwn) planted. A greon-diessing plant (nsiially DoUchos Lahhih. 

 the field bean), is then planted and dug in, and wide drains are made at short 

 distances apart. This treatment has had very benefifial effects and. although 

 some super-sensitive varieties still appear to suffer, the Nortli Indian canes, 

 at any rate, have now been fully acclimatized and are growing extremely 

 vigorously. 



The study of the causes of arro^Ying in the cane has also led to fruitfid 

 results. There are two cane-planting seasons in the neighbourhood of Coim- 

 batore, one in February-March and one in July- August or even later. The 

 former is in vogue on garden land irrigated by wells and the latter on wet lands 

 under tanks. The period for planting in wet lands is limited by the filling of the 

 tanks, but the ryots cultivating garden lands are free to choose their own time. 

 They have selected February- March for several reasons. The canes planted 

 then are still young when the fierce winds of the south-west monsoon sweep 

 over thelandin June to August, and are well established and off the ground 

 when the heayv wet weather comes wnth the north-east monsoon in October- 

 November. Incidentally, they also secure a suitable ripening season for the 

 canes, in the dry cool months of December and January followed by the dry 

 hot months of February and March, the hottest part of the year at Coimbatore. 

 From a special study of each field from which arrow^s were obtained in the 

 neighbourhood, it soon became evident that canes planted in February- 

 March do not usually flower, while those planted at any time between August 

 and November do so in the following October-November, if allowed to remain 

 in the ground. In the wetland generally, then, the canes are more likely to 

 flower, and this has been found to be the case even when they are planted as 

 early as April-May. As h result of this study, an " arrowing plot " was put 

 down on the station as an experiment with certain varieties in November 

 1913. The result was eminently satisfactory and the plot was a mass of 

 arrows in the following October (PI. VIII). At the same time, through the 

 kindness of Mr. Wood, a number of North Indian and other cane varieties were 

 planted in the wet land on the Central Farm and most of these also flow^ered. 

 Altogether, some twelve North Indian canes bore arrows, some of them for the 

 first time on record. Unfortunately, in most of these, the stamens proved to 

 be obstinately closed, but it is hoped that the way is being opened for 

 obtaining the desired cross between a hardy North Indian indigenous cane 

 and a richer exotic one, if they can be induced to flow^er at the same time.^ 



1 During the 191!) season, 71 varieties of cane flowered on the Cane-hrcodin,£? Station, half 

 of which were Nortlx Indian canes. 



