C. A. P.ARTIRR 133 



The vigour of any seedling is judged by early rapid growth, ultiinate size 

 and, at maturity, by the number of canes and shoots develojjed, and tlie total 

 weight of the above ground parts at crop time. In a considerable number of 

 cases it has been noted that seedlings standing out from the rest because of 

 iheir great growth, have a comparatively low sucrose percentage in the juice. 

 Excessive vigour in a seedling otherw^ise than a cross is therefore not 

 altogether a desirable character. 



General Habtt. 



There is often marked variability in the habit of seedlings of common 

 parentage (Plates XII & XIV). We shall note elsewhere (pp. U8--li9) that 

 the appearance of a variety in the field, often difficult to describe in technical 

 language, is one of the most trustworthy and permaiient characters wherebv 

 we can distinguish closely allied cane varieties. ^ Height and width of bushes, 

 thickness of canes, width of leaves and the way in which the leaves curve are 

 individual habit characters of value, but we refer here to the combination of 

 several of these and other factors, w^hich gives the whole a definite appear- 

 ance in the field. {Cf. p. 148.) 



When the SaretJia (selfed) seedlings of 1912-14 were nearly ready for 

 reaping, an attempt was made to classify them, using as a guide their general 

 resemblance to other types of North Indian canes : and, on analysing the juice 

 at crop time, it was found that, while the individuals in these classes gave more 

 or less uniform results, the classes differed widely from one another in general 

 sucrose and glucose averages. They were grouped as follows : — 



1. Mungo-Nargori-\ike plants. Short erect bushes with moderately 

 narrow- leaves curving broadly at their ends, reminding of Mungo, some 

 becoming more or less bunched at the end's of the shoots, the short thin 

 stems being clothed with dead leaves, reminding of Nargori. 



2. Small plants with the bushy habit of Mungo but with narrower leaves 

 and some of the outer branches spreading or prostrate. 



3. Sarauti-like plants. Dense, thick, short bushes with the ends of the 

 leaves strict or curved. 



4. Sarefha-Yike plants. Tall, erect, with stems rather widely separated, 

 the outer canes spreading or obliquely ascending, leaves moderately broad 

 and more or less curved. 



1 This method of classification has been successfully used by Woodhousc and Basu in 

 their description of the Sabour sugarcanes. — Ibid. 



