produeing fertile seeds having mane been lost by the sugar cane, 
it was impracticable to deal with it by means of cross fertilization or by 
the ordinary course of seminal selection. It was further pointed out 
that new and improved varieties amongst sugar canes were to be looked 
for amongst — variations, and planters were advised to mark any 
canes n slios eparture from -— type and cultivate them 
sugar. bci ion mer thus been ditodod to the subject by official 
notices published in sugar emen japones several communieations 
have been received at Kew from per who believed that they we 
able to afford some information on hes putat whether the sugar cane 
"—— seed or not. 
time ago hele was published in the Government Qu ette of this 
m 
* neighbourhood. Some time afterwards 1 went to see the sort of cane 
* from which the seed had been gathered, but the plant was dug up and 
* [ could only learn that it was a purplish cane." xe seed sent by 
or Gaines corn. 
Recently, hov iMi a statement has reached Kew, from a trust- 
worthy source, that seedling sugar canes had been found at Barbados, 
and that plants were in course of being raised at the Botanical 
Station in that island, under the care of Professor Harrison and Mr. 
Bovell. 
ed B. Harrison is Island professor of chemistry and aspere 
keai at Barbados, and in conjunction with Mr. T. R. Bovell, who is 
Gipériatelident; of Dodd's Reformatory, he has been engaged fo for the last 
ree years in cer em chemical experiments with various kinds of 
to sugar cane s, s also the relative merits = new and old varieties “of 
canes now under veunavations in the West Indie 
The statement sent by Professor Harrison appears to en in a 
pertectly natural and circumstantial manner, that a few ma seeds 
may occasionally be produced by the sugar cane under dime 1 circum- 
stances. It is stated by o that the sugar cane *'never 
: a 
t I > shape 
seedlings, self-sown or otherwise. The canes that would be likely to 
produce fruit would be those eoe nearest to the original wild cane, 
obably 
- 
A 
pe 
— 
E 
S 
et 
2 
Q 
e 
o 
= 
zB 
et 
^ 
and would be less rich in sugar than the 
canes improved by a long course of cultivation. P 
Without promig a decided opinion on subject, and in the 
absence of jhe specimens themselves, the Seule o supplied 
Professor Harrison is, so far, the most tangible of an ria received to 
show that the altei .sugar.cane.may oecasiona lly produce mature 
fruits. 
