218 CHAPTER XIII 



During protracted wet weather the buds of standing cane 

 may sometimes commence growth, and it is an undesirable 

 characteristic of some varieties, as the milling quality is con- 

 siderably lessened. 



The inflorescence of the cane is a panicle of soft, silky 

 spikelets, borne on the end of an elongated peduncle, called 

 the " arrow," arising from the terminal vegetative point of 

 the cane. It is only exceptionally that the cane forms fertile 

 seed. Some varieties never flower, and others do so only in 

 the tropics. The age at which the cane flowers varies from 

 eight to fifteen months, and is dependent on variety and 

 climate, and also on time of planting. In Natal the growing 

 season is too short to allow the cane to mature sufficiently for 

 flowering to take place. 



The Choice of " Seed." — " The immaturity of the top 

 joints of the cane is associated with a low content of sucrose, 

 or crystallisable sugar, and a large proportion of glucose or 

 molasses sugar. The tops have consequently little or no value 

 for milling, and are removed in practice before the cane i^ 

 dispatched to the mill. The planting period in Natal coincides 

 with the latter end of the milling season, and, therefore, an 

 ample supply of tops, which would otherwise be a waste pro- 

 duct, is available for ' seed.' Experiments in which the 

 different parts of the cane have been planted show the tops 

 to be as productive as the other portions." 



BoTANiCALLY, sugar cane (Saccharum. officinarum is a 

 grass belonging to the Andropogoneae. 



The plants are 6 to 20 feet in height, and the culms often 

 as thick as medium-size bamboos — 1 to 3 inches in diameter. 



The species Saccharum officinariuni is divided by Hackel 

 into three groups : — 



(a) S.O. gcnuinum. — Stem, pale green to yellow; 

 darker yellow near the ground. Leaf, grass-green, under- 

 side sea-green. 



(b) S.O. vioJaceum — Stem, leaf, sheath, lower sides 

 of leaves and panicle, violet. 



(c) S.O. litter atum — Stem, dirty green or yellow, 

 marked with dark stripes at equal intervals. 



A great many varieties have been tried in South Africa, 

 but at present the greater part of the acreage planted grows 

 the Uba variety, which has displaced the soft canes. 



