22 
characteristics of the parent, but the departure from this typical state 
overs the entire range of variation possible, tm the least to the widest 
extreme. Of this wide range too many instances have occurred to leave 
any room for doubt on the ground of possible error of record as to 
variation is slight, but several cases purely white or purely green 
canes have been = E dark purple ones. We have said that in the 
majority of the seedlings there is a general approximation to parental 
eness, but absolute likeness does not бла а very great proportion to 
_ the whole variation. The degree of ар imation varies, however, in 
the erent kinds, the smaller inferior canes € a larger 
ne 
that a stray seed of some other kind had got into the stock, but, as 
we have also before intimated, the several i ae of the — that 
have occurred. are too many to require or to justify resort any 
such explanation. It мын not improbable in fact that if nis one of 
the inferior varieties, possessing a fair degree of germinating power 
upon which success Due depends, were taken in hand, that by 
seminal propagation and ear е. selection from the seedlings, as many 
varieties, showing as wide a range of size, colour, маты ‚ &е., eM 
procur: = it in a, few generations, as all t inds of cane 
collected from П sugar-growing antc which we now aeris азі 
This i aded sina gathered from our brief experience, justifies sanguine 
hopes of improvement in the ө жетине of the varieties we now cultivate, 
and imposes the obligation of zealous endeavour to realise this improve- 
ment. ie encouraging feature of seedling canes is that the 
features they == рор appear not to be their best or permanent 
ones. During t rst two years, at the къз hay 
| under Observation here, there seems to be = anny general 
im ement in character. Where the first shoots have been slender, 
subsequent ones have come double the size, and where in the earlier 
canes the joints have been short and often bearded, in the later ones 
they have been long and clean, and a higher gloss and glow have also 
developed in the colour. So that as two full years are in most in- 
- 
period is necessary for them to develop their true character. The 
inference may be taken from this that if the cultivation of the seedling 
canes first discovered in Barbados had been extended, the objectionable 
features for which they were discarded and destroyed would have 
disappeared ; in which case we should probably not now have to lament 
varieties of cane, we have intimated as well that our object—that is 
obtaining an improved variety of cane to any now existing—would no 
doubt be earliest realised by breeding from the better kinds. The 
primary — required are—first, large size, io give weight of cane 
from the fields, and— second, sweetness to give yield of sugar from the 
canes. m "may be regarded as the primary and absolutely essential 
qualities of a good cane, while it is admitted at the same time there are 
