i86 



The reasons for the existence of this large acreage under 

 sugar cane, where the conditions are unfavourable. The fate 

 of attempts at providing sugar-making factories in North 

 India and the prospects of success in the future. A great 

 increase in the importation of white sugar during recent years. 

 Government assistance in improvement of sugar manufacture 

 and the class of canes grown. The latter alone dealt with here. 



The only available method the raising of seedlings. 

 Hitherto unsuccessfully tried in India. The rarity of cane 

 flowering in North India and popular superstition regarding 

 it. The infertility of the stamens in cane flowers in North 

 India. Flowering much commoner in South Indian canes and 

 the stamens fertile even in introduced North Indian canes. 

 Hence a cane-breeding station started in Madras. Seedlings 

 raised in numbers, but most of them from introduced tropical 

 parents, although many native canes collected and grown at 

 the stations. North Indian canes desired as parents ; the 

 character of these and the gradual decrease in luxuriance 

 towards the north-west, where the canes become very primi- 

 tive. The need for crossing the canes of each tract with rich 

 tropical canes. Some of the results thus far obtained at the 

 cane-breeding station. 



THE CLASSIFICATION OF INDIAN SUGAR CANES. 



By Dr. C. A. BARBER, 

 Government Sugar Cane Expert in India. 



[ABSTRACT.] 



For the improvement of the Indian sugar industry it is 

 necessary to obtain a thorough knowledge of the canes of the 

 country. The existing descriptions of these are very meagre, 

 but several collections of varieties have been made and pre- 

 served in Government Farms. The classification of these 

 varieties is practically pioneer work. The method adopted 

 has been to make an exhaustive study of each variety as it has 

 been met with, to note the differences between them and to 

 build up a classification upon these. 



Classification according to habit is a very useful starting- 

 point. Erectness, leaf-endings, tillering, selected for brief 

 consideration. 



Colour of use, but less suitable for main classes; colour of 

 stem, blushing, colour of leaf-sheath, colour induced by fungi 

 all useful minor characters. 



