SUGAR CANE TASSELS 



Notwithstanding its elaborate tassel, 

 the sugar cane ordinarily does not bear 

 seed. Indeed, until somewhat recently, 

 it was not known to bear seed at all. 

 By rare exception., however, seed is 

 occasionally formed; and the discovery 

 that certain little grasslike plants in a 

 sugar cane field were really seedlings of 

 the sugar plant led to the development 

 of a new variety with exceptional 

 qualities. Sugar cane had been propa- 

 gated by division so long that it had 

 nearly lost the power to produce seed. 

 The sugar cane has a plume very much 

 like that of Pampas grass. 



