157 



tig. 3a. represents the seedling in the same stage, but with the^ 

 glumes removed. 



At thirty days from sowing a second leaf is developed* Fig. If, ; and 

 two weeks later the now strong and quickly growing seedlings are 

 potted into bamboo pots {Fig. 5.) in ordinary soil, and kept in a cool 

 and moist place for eight or nine days ; after which they are gradually 

 inured to the strong sunlight. After six wt eks stay in the bamboo 

 pots, the seedling canes are ready for plantmg out in the field. 

 Trenches are dug three feet apart, and the bottom forked up and 

 mixed w4th very rotten cow manure ; the pi mts are then set out at a 

 distance of three feet apart in the trenches and watered and mulched 

 immediately after. 



The plants at Hope are now over six feet in height, and were 

 planted out in April of this year. 



At first, one stem is formed ; and later, when this has reached tbe 

 height of r to i\' , offshoots start from the base and eventually catch 

 up to the first one. 



About 10 to 14 of these offshoots are formed before any of them 

 begin to ascend, and then all the canes on the " stole" develop 

 together. 



The seeds collected from No. 95, have yielded 12 plants, all of which 

 have characters quite distinct from each other ; one of them is an 

 exact counterpart of the parent, whilst another looks exceedingly 

 promising, showing fine dark-purple, long-jointed canes, with heavy 

 tops, small nodes, and no ** itch" ; some of the others appear to be quite 

 worthless ; the canes being no more than an inch in diameter, and 

 about 2' 6" in height, more or less. 



The seedlings raised from the No 115 cane are not yet sufficiently 

 developed for comparison. They all seem busy making up the stole or 

 stool. 



Now that it has been proved that seedling sugar canes can be raised 

 in Jamaica, it would be well if some planters in each district were to 

 sow a few seeds every year ; by this means a large number of seed- 

 lings would be raised under many diffierent conditions of climate, soil, 

 &c., and from a great many different parent canes, and in this way 

 varieties would be produced from which selections could be made for 

 analyses. 



It appears to be of very little use to attempt to systematically cross- 

 fertilize the varieties of sugar cane with a view to combining the 

 characteristics of the parents ; repeated attempts have been made in 

 the other West Indian Colonies, but so far without succees ; it has, 

 however occurred to me that a fair measure of success might be at- 

 tained if each planter would save some tops of two goods varieties 

 that are known to flower at the same time, mix them together, and 

 plant theni in an isolated spot on the windward side of the estate ; 

 where they would grow and flower together; some of the seedlings 

 raised from these would in all probability show improvements on 

 both the parents, and it is more than likely that at least one would 

 turn out to be superior to the best on the estate, or perhaps in the 

 Ishind ; fortunate will be the planter who secures the first improved 

 Tariety. 



