SUGAR 143 



Let me conclude with a brief summary of the characters 

 of three of the classes of Indian sugar-canes thus far 

 separated out : 



The Chin Group (seven to eight canes noted). Canes 

 of the Punjab and neighbouring parts of the United 

 Provinces. Very thin and comparatively tall; bending 

 outwards and ascending; with narrow leaves, charac- 

 terized by a sharp angular bend at the tip when young; 

 rind very hard, canes fibrous, with a small quantity of 

 rich juice; markedly frost-resistant, but affected as a 

 class by smut; circlet of hairs well developed, present 

 more or less all the way up the cane; scar band present; 

 joints cylindrical and uniform, becoming red-brown when 

 mature; root-zone narrow, with two or three rows of 

 regularly placed eyes, flat or thickening upwards; growth 

 ring very distinct, becoming a rich dark brown and very 

 striking in older parts; buds small, rounded, or pointed, 

 reaching the growth ring, often with dark-coloured 

 flanges, bursting dorsally; ligular processes present, short 

 or long. 



The Rheora Group (about twenty canes noted). Canes 

 of Bihar and the western parts of the United Provinces, 

 passing through an intermediate stage to Dhaulu, and 

 thence perhaps to Chin. Not usually present in Chin 

 regions. Canes thick, short, bunched; leaves moderately 

 narrow, curving broadly outwards in a symmetrical bush ; 

 less fibrous and more juicy than Chin, and with softer 

 rind; not frost-resistant, and not affected by smtit; circlet 

 of hairs soon disappearing, especially under the bud ; scar 

 lines very distinct and marked as dark brown lines across 

 the nodes; joints cylindrical and uniform, but becoming 

 bulged above; often mottled red, brown, or pink when 

 mature; root-zone very broad, with widely separated 

 small eyes, the lower row of which often larger, and the 

 upper massed together, flat or thickening upwards; 

 growth ring practically absent, or only faintly discernible 

 by change of colour; buds very small and rounded, usually 

 reaching about half-way up the root-zone, often dark 

 coloured; ligular processes usually present and often 

 long; leaf-sheaths sometimes very long. 



The Pansahi Group (eight to ten canes noted). Delicate 



