MANUAL FOR SUGAR GROWERS. 45 



cane will provide a top suitable for planting. On 

 the other hand, it does not seem probable that the 

 selection of tops is likely to lead to any improve- 

 ment in the variety of sugar-cane ; what is gained is 

 a better growth and more certain establishment of 

 the crop. This view is, perhaps, contrary to the 

 ideas of some planters, but is proved by the follow- 

 ing considerations : Under existing circumstances 

 the tops used for planting are, on the whole, not 

 from the best canes grown on the estates, being fre- 

 quently taken from ratoons not considered worth 

 keeping ; hence it may be held, taking one field with 

 another, that the tops used for planting are from 

 canes in quality something below the best, and if the 

 matter be looked at carefully, they will be found to 

 be from canes below the average quality grown. 

 Now, if selection of good qualities can produce im- 

 provement, selection of inferior kinds — and this is 

 what the present method amounts to— should pro- 

 duce deterioration ; yet it is not suggested that there 

 is any falling ofi' in the quality of the sugar-cane. 

 The above is no argument for careless work, which 

 will produce deterioration only too surely. The top 

 planted reproduces the parent variety with all its 

 characteristics ; new varieties must be sought in 

 canes from seed, or from occasional sports or bud 

 varieties. 



The plant-tops are planted in the following man- 

 ner : The ground is marked out by means of a line 

 and marks placed to indicate the spot where each 

 plant is to go, the distances apart varying from four 

 and a half to six feet according to custom (about 



