185 



standard up to tho quality of its present best individuals ? If three- 

 tenths of one per cent of the weight of cane is added to it in sugar, a 

 crop of 25,000 tons of cane would give 150,00 additional pounds of sugar, 

 five-tenths of one per cent, would give 250,000 pounds additional, and 



one per cent would add 500,000 



" At Calumet 780 single stalks were examined, 424 of which were 

 discarded by the Brix sprindle work as being canes of medium richness, 

 and the remaining 356 analysed, giving about an equal number of the 

 extremes of rich and poor canes. The canes from these analyses planted 

 but two rows 575 feet long, while seed from the same number of stalks 

 of sorghum would have planted many acres. We can see by this the 

 Herculean nature of the task undertaken, and therefore the necessity 

 for extreme care that the experiments be not lost. The average analysis 

 of the rich canes planted here was solids 16.6, sucrose 14.7, purity 88.6; 

 of the poor canes, solids 14.9, sucrose 11.9, purity 79 9. This gives a 

 difference in the analyses of 1.7 solids, 2.8 sucrose, and 8.7 purity. 

 This difference was not, perhaps, inherently as great in the canes ex- 

 amined as the analyses would indicate, for many of the stalks were no 

 doubt influenced greatly by their environments and after removing 

 them from these, the peculiarities themselves would in considerable 

 part disappear. These peculiarities, due to environment, would, pro- 

 bably, all be eliminated in time by continued planting of canes from 

 selected plats. During November 1891, at intervals of a week, the plats 

 were twice sampled. Samples were taken from directly opposite points 

 of the two rows, and every stalk growing in the space sampled was cut. 

 The analyses of each in the laboratory were, of course, made by identical 

 methods. These analyses were as follows : — 



High Sucrose Plat. 

 Analysis of November 20.— Solids 15.2, Sucrose 11.6, Purity 76.3, 

 Analysis of November 27.— Solids 14.4, Sucrose 10.7, Purity 74.3, 



Average.— Solids 14.8, Sucrose 11.2, Purity 75.7. 

 Low Sucrose Plat. 

 Analysis of November 20.— Solids 15.1, Sucrose 11.1, Purity 73.5. 

 Analysis of November 27. — Solids 14.4, Sucrose 10.7, Purity 74.3, 



Average.— Solids 14.8, Sucrose 10.9, Purity 73.6. 

 Difference.— Solids 0.0, Sucrose 0.3, Puritv 2.1. 

 " There was also undoubtedly a less yield of cane from the poor 

 sucrose seed. This was so very evident that it did need the authority 

 of actual weights to confirm it. 



1892 Eesults. . 



" In discussing the data secured the present year on this subject, I have 

 divided it into two phases, both of which seemed distinct and important 

 enough for separate remarks. These are the results obtained from last 

 year's selection and so have had but small opportunity for reversions, if 

 such are to occur, and the other the results obtained from two plats, the 

 original parents of which were from selected seed, the one from poor 

 canes and the other from rich ones — but in which they had been allowed 

 to grow one year without any intermediate selection. This latter, then, 

 has been subjected to only the one original selection, but each plat kept 

 free from intermixture with the other. 



"The canes were planted two in a row without any lap and the top& 

 and butts of the planted canes were kept opposite so as not to have the 



