88 
1891, and 1892. "This information is contained in a pamphlet (Bulletin 
No. 8) issued privately by the proprietor, Mr. Daniel Thompson. e 
relating to the improvement of the sugar-can means of a selection 
controlled by chemical m of the plant canes. In the pamphlet 
this selection is described as a ** seed” selection. **Seed canes” in man 
sugar countries is an Mo in use for the * cuttings " of canes, or for 
the canes themselves used for planting purposes. In most countries the 
t 
i 
trenches and covered over like so nany drain-pipes. Sometimes these 
are laid two in a row and sometimes three, depending on the season and 
condition of the canes. 
The results of the experiment at Calumet Plantation possess so wide 
an interest that it is desirable to bring them prominently before the 
notice of those interested in sugar production in our tropical — 
Mr. Edson, the chemist, states :—“ I do not know that any experim 
* such as this at Calumet have, up to the M time, ever been pes 
* with sugar-cane. It seems to me to be an entirely new and untried 
* ground in experimentation, though the advisability of such work cim 
** tried has often been discussed." 
The following extracts relating to the experiments at Calumet 
Plantation are taken from Mr. Edson's Report (Bulletin No. 8, pp. 
26-39): 
‘Seep’ SELECTION OF SUGAR-CANE. 
* During the autumn of 1890, after grinding was well under way, a 
series of single stalk analyses were made in the laboratory for the 
purpose of testing whether sugar canes would transmit to their offspring 
the ee higher or lower sucrose content which they ep 
pos By repeated experiments a transverse section of the can 
Paid” that represented very accurately the quality of the whole enti 
this part was cut out, analysis made of its juice, ne the remainder of 
the cane saved for seed. This section was the third one from the 
bottom when the canes were cut into four agri of eis length. Below 
is given a table of analyses made to test the matt 
Cue Third prin from Bottom of opposite 
Longitudinal Halves of Samples. Halves-óf Samples. 
| | 
Solids. Sucrose. | Purity. Solids. | Sucrose. Purity. 
14°7 I9 80:9 15*4 12°8 83°6 
15°1 12°3 81°4 15*2 12°3 80°9 
ICE. 13:8 85:7 16°1 13°9 85°3 
16:1 | 13°6 83°9 16°5 13:8 83:6. 
17:1 15:4 90:1 LEA 15:3 89°4 
18°3 16°5 90:2 18:2 16:4 90:1 
16:4 13:3 | «SII 16:4 I0"T 83:5 
16°1 13°3 | 82°6 16° 13°5 83:8 
16:2 13:8 85:2 16:4 . | .14*0 85:4 
| 
“I have since dis that for different years the section which 
represented the quality of the cane might be different, but as it has 
been found out since that a selection of this kind is not necessary, 
have made no further experiments. Selections were first made with 
