PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS. ,^21 



acre as compared with 6,228 pounds yielded by the original cane. In Java, where 

 the white Cheribon was practically the only kind grown, a red cane suddenly 

 appeared. This was carefully multiplied by cuttings until a large area was 

 planted, with the result that a greater tonnage of canes was raised per acre and 

 the iuice was richer. 



Sugar-cane seedlings were observed at Barbados in 1858, but it was only in 

 1888 that Bovell and Harrison were in a position to utilise the discovery and 

 (■■btain thou.<;ands of eelf-sown seedlings for experiment purposes. Similar seed- 

 lings were also available in Java about the same time.' As about this period the 

 standard canes in sugar-growing countries were showing signs of being severely 

 attacked by disease the discovery of seedlings was a fortunate, circumstance. 

 In fact, in some cases it may be regarded as having probably saved the industry. 

 A careful examination of the floral characters of the best varieties of sugar-canes 

 disniosed the fact that in some cases the ovary was normal while the stamens 

 were infertile. Advantage was taken of this circumstance to secure cross 

 <"r?-h'Iisation by. planting selected canes of each type in alternate rows. By this 

 and other means, skilfully devised, several varieties of sugar canes of great 

 merit were raised. 



The possibility of breeding sugar-canes by cross fertilisation under control 

 on Mendelian lines has so far not proved practicable. Partly on account of 

 the enormous number of florets in the panicles and their microscopic character, 

 but chiefly owing to the difficulty of manipulation in the field. Lewton Brain 

 and Stockdale made careful experiments in 1903 and 1905, but the results in both 

 cases were disappointing. In spite of this a large number of seedling canes 

 have been raised in cases where the seed-bearing parent only was known. In 

 others neither parent was known. The results, on the whole, have not been 

 unsatisfactory. Seedling canes in many cases have taken the place of the older 

 varieties, while larger returns per acre have been obtained. Further, owing 

 to careful selection there has been a marked diminution in the losses from 

 the attacks of insect and fungoid pests. 



In British Guiana it is reported that in the crop of 1918 seedling canes occupied 

 83 per cent, of the total areas under canes. Similar results have been obtained 

 at Barbados, where Bovell has continued since 1888 in raising canes of great 

 merit. Also in the Leeward Islands, and more or less in Trinidad and Jamaica. 

 The best of the West Indian seedlings have been widely distributed to other 

 countries. The general policy adopted by Harrison in British Guiana as the 

 result of over thirty years' experience in cane selection is brieflv summarised 

 as follows : ' We raise ae many seedlings as we can from varieties of proved 

 vegetative vigour, and select from those having both well-marked vegetative 

 vigour and relatively high saccharine content.' He adds : ' The characteristics 

 of seedling canes are not fixed, and in many instances characteristics which in 

 fhf> earlier years Promised to make a cane of high quality, both in the factory and 

 fieid, were the first to fail.' Harrison's experience suggests a special line of 

 research, viz., to ascertain the cause of the increase in vegetative vigour and yield 

 that follows a first cross, only to disappear in later stages. 



In India there is probably a larger area under sugar-cane than in any other 

 country. Its production of sugar is over two million tons. The lareer proportion 

 of this consists of a low-grade quality known as jaggery or gvr. Palm-sugar is 

 also produced to the extent of half-a-million tons. The sugar-producinff areas 

 in India consist of two main portions : A southern portion in Madras, Mysore, 

 and Bombay wholly within the Tropics, and a northern portion outside the Tropics 

 extending from Assam to the Punjab, a distance of one thousand miles. The 

 difference in soil and atmospheric conditions has a marked influence on the 

 character of the canes grown in the two regions. In Southern India the canes 

 are stout and usually as productive in the irrigated areas as in other tropical 

 countries : but in the North the canes are more slender, grow in thick clumps, 

 iind owing to the high percentage of fibre are much less productive in sugar. 



Speaking generally, the sugpr industry in India is not in a satisfactory con- 

 ''itinn. In spite of the enormous area under cultivation India is obliged to 

 increase its considerable imports of sugar from Java and other countries. To 

 obviate this urgent steps are being taken to improve the character of the canes 

 and establish varieties adapted to local conditions and the circumstances of the 

 sugar growers. The latter are almost entirely of the peasant class or rayats. At 



