38 CHAPTER IV 



to be some doubt about the origin of this cane, and perhaps the number 

 has been changed. It is very extensively grown in Austraha and also on 

 the estate scale in Hawaii, particularly in the colder and wetter districts. 

 While it is an exceptionally heavy cropper, its juice is of less than average 

 value. 



Work of Bovell and his Colleagues in Barbados. 



Simultaneously with the experiments of Harrison in British Guiana, the 

 Imperial Department of Agriculture for the West Indies under the super- 

 intendence of Bovell was engaged in raising seedlings in Barbados. At 

 least two canes of value have resulted : — 



B 147. — Stalk — Yellow, recumbent, average girth and very long-jointed, 

 with a well marked channel. Arrows sparsely. 



B 208. — This cane is thus described by Cowgill : — 



" Habit, inclining to reclining. Length, medium to short. Diameter, medium 

 to large. Shape of the stalk, usually curved. Colour, medium green, more or 

 less glaucous. Internodes, nearly round in cross-section, typically short and tumid, 

 and with a prominent shoulder on the side opposite the one on which the bud occurs ; 

 furrow, very shallow. Nodes small ; the portion above the leaf-scar a little longer, 

 and larger in circumference than that below ; the depressed ring forming the portion 

 below the leaf-scar, medium depth but narrow, deepest below the bud. Two or 

 three rows of rudimentary roots. Buds typically having started through the scales 

 and projecting out from the stalk in a globoid to conical point ; before starting short 

 and swollen ; when very young typically flat, very broad and ovate-cuspidate 

 in outline, with the margin extending across the top rather than on the sides ; 

 lobes typically well-marked. Foliage, medium in amount, rather dark in colour. 

 Leaf, medium to short, broad, growing semi-erect, tapering medium abruptly into 

 a point. Leaf-sheath broad, almost round at the throat, light gieen to reddish 

 green in colour ; auricles medium to small ; ligula, medium length, with the upper 

 edge slightly depressed in the centre. Vestiture of leaf-sheath, many long, medium 

 stiff setae, not closely appressed. Vestiture of throat of sheath medium, soft 

 hairs on the auricles and edges of the base of the leaf, and more or less on the 

 adjacent area of the face of the leaf. Most important distinguishing characteristics, 

 form of the internodes and buds." 



This cane is very susceptible to environment, and is also subject to 

 variation.* It is suited only for lighter, friable soils, is drought-resistant, 

 but fails on heavy clays. It is grown extensively in the British West Indies 

 and British Guiana. It fails entirely in Hawaii. 



Work in Barbados continues, and, as in Java, new canes are continually 

 being produced. The later varieties are referred to as BH, BNH, and 

 BSF, denoting Barbados artificial hybrid, Barbados natural hybrid and 

 Barbados self-fertilized seedling. The year in which obtained is placed in 

 brackets, followed b}' the identifying numeral, e.g., BH ('07) 4. 



Work of Eckart in Hawaii. 



It was not till nearly twenty years after the inception of work in the 

 West Indies and in Java that the necessity of similar woi k was felt in Hawaii. 

 The method pursued by Eckart has been essentially that developed by 

 Harrison. 



Adventitious fertilization has been used, and the seedlings obtained are 

 known only as regards the female parent, though probably most were self- 



*A fine series of coloured drawings prepared under the direction of Harrison, and showing the extreme vari« 

 ation exhibited by this cane, Is to be found in the Kew Herbarium. 



