The Results of Recent Scientific Researches into 
the Agricultural Improvement of the Sugar 
Cane. 
By $. B. Harrison, M.A., FI.C., F.GS., F.CS., Etc., Government 
Analyst. 
3, NTIL within the last fifteen years all attempts 
to improve the agricultural yield of the sugar 
cane by the application of modern methods of 
scientific research appear in English Colonies to have 
been limited to the growth of varieties of sugar cane in 
the Government Botanic Gardens ot Mauritius, Jamaica, 
Trinidad and Queensland. The Botanists in charge of 
these institutions based their recommendations to plan- 
ters as to the adoption of one or other variety, simply 
on the appearance of the growth of the plant, its freedom 
from visible signs of certain diseases, and its greater or 
less immunity from attacks by moth borers and other 
inseét pests. Occasionally we find that the degree 
Baumé or the degree Arnaboldi or some other equally 
vague mode of recording the specific gravity of the ex- 
pressed juice of the cane was employed, whilst the highest 
requirements of science appear to have been considered 
as fully met when, in addition to the colour and other 
morphological charaéteristics of the canes, the percent- 
age of expressed juice together with its specific gravity 
was recorded. In foreign countries and colonies a very 
similar state of affairs existed, although in some of them, 
for instance Java, the scientific knowlege of the agricul- 
tural requirements of the sugar cane and of the agricul- 
tural value of many of its varieties was considerably in 
