28 
several important minor qualities, which, though dispensable, are also 
desirable. ‘These pertain to the habit of ‘growth, resistance to drought, 
earliness, flowering or non-flowering, degree of itch to the leaves, of 
fibre in the cane, &c., &c. In selecting breeding stock it must be 
admitted that we have much to learn on the ир of the transmission 
internal chemical variation. But we must wait another year, till our 
pedigreed seedlings have matured, before we can speak with assurance 
on this point. However, the uncertainty need not affect our present 
action ; there can be no question, whether the saccharine quality varies 
or not in descent, the best stock to breed from is that possessing in 
largest degree the qualities, separately or combined, of hin ae of cane 
and of sugar. There are three possible ways in which we may look for 
improvement in the sugar-cane. We may obtain a variety that will 
give a larger weight of cane per acre, though it may contain no more 
sugar per ton of cane than the better kinds we possess now. in, 
we may obtain a variety yoding a higher jane of sugar, though 
the weight of cane be not increase ed. This is what has bee — 
show what is to be sought in propagating the sugar-cane from seed. 
We shall not get an ideal cane ; but Mr. Neville Lubbock gave the 
r contents just mentioned may be left "tb 'conjecture 
and the result of future work, but it is along the lines pops to those 
ends that we confidently look to make progress. The seedling 
gives us an indication of what is possible. This is а plant d unknown 
parentage and fortuitous birth in Barbados. It was among the earliest 
natural see edlings discove red ае by Me essrs. Harrison — Bovell. 
thi 
osum up. Though the work done in Java undoubtedly anticipated 
that done in the West UE by Messrs. Harrison and Bovell, it attrae 
but little eral attentio: , The E disce of these latter gentlemen 
has been termed “ e Even if true, that is no demerit. Most 
