VARIATION IN THE CANE AND CANE VARIETIES 53 



" Herbarium Amboinense." He describes three canes, one yellow, a second 

 purple, and a third striped, and it is very possible that these may be those 

 forming the subject of this section. The canes referred to by the writer 

 under this heading are frequently mentioned in the early literature as Bata- 

 vian canes, and there seems to be little doubt but that they are indigenous to 

 Java. In the British West Indies these canes have become generally 

 known as Transparent canes ; in Cuba the light-coloured variety is known 

 as the Crystalina* ; elsewhere the term Bamboo canes has been applied to 

 them. Three varieties are known, a light coloured, a dark coloured, and a 

 striped variety. These are connected with each other by a complete cycle 

 of per saltum variation. 



The variety has been the subject of many exchanges and introductions. 

 It has probably produced more sugar that all other varieties combined. 

 As Crystalina it has been and remains almost the only cane cultivated in 

 Cuba. For over forty years the dark-coloured variety was the principal 

 cane grown in Java, where its extended cultivation was established by 

 Gonsalves-^^ in 1850. After the epidemic of the 'forties which affected the 

 original Otaheite stock in Mauritius, resource was had also to the dark- 

 coloured variety known as Belouguet. 



In Mexico it is also a standard variety. As White Transparent it has 

 been largely grown in the British West Indies, and as Home Purple has 

 formed the bulk of the Louisiana crop. Grown under normal conditions 

 it has from 10 to 11 per cent, of fibre, and the bagasse afforded appears 

 to " steam " badly. The percentage of sucrose and the purity are 

 very high, but inferior to that afforded by the Otaheite when the latter is 

 grown under the best conditions. Similarly, under the same conditions, 

 it is not such a heavy cropper, but is more resistant to fungus diseases and 

 is of a " hard}^ " nature ; that is to say, it is not so readily affected by unto- 

 ward conditions and careless cultivation. Like the Otaheite it does not 

 deteriorate rapidly after maturity, and affords a long period of ratoonage. 



The following irregularities in nomenclature may be noted : — 



1. The dark-coloured variety is termed Otaheite in Bourbon. 



2. In the collection at Audubon Park, New Orleans, the term Bourbon 

 is applied to the light-coloured variety. 



3. In Jamaica, the light-coloured variety is, according to Cousins, ^^ the 

 Otaheite cane brought b3^ Bligh. 



4. Stubbs^^ states that the striped variety came originally from Tahiti 

 and is generally known as the Otaheite Ribbon cane, but he does not give 

 references, and this statement is in opposition to the earlier references 

 already quoted. 



5. In Demerara a cane introduced under the name of Meera is identical 

 with the dark-coloured variety : Meera is a Malay term meaning red, but 

 the Tibboo Meera of Soltwedel is quite distinct. 



6. Rappoh is a Javanese term applied to a number of canes. In 

 Queensland the term Rappoe or Rappoh is well established in connection 

 with the light-coloured variety. The Tibboo Rappoh of Soltwedel is a 

 greenish-brown cane with a well-marked bluish-white layer of wax at the 

 node ; the terms R. Kiang, R. Malda, R. Koenig and White Rappoh also 

 occur. 



8. The name Seete is applied by Fawcett^^ and by Dahl and Arendrup^"* 

 to a greenish-yellow or white cane. 



*Crystalina may be the literal translation of Transparent or vice versa. 



