October i, 1887.] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
273 V 
A NEW S(JGAU-CANj5. 
For some years, remarks a well-jnformod writer, 
efforts have been made to bring together into one col- 
lection all the different varieties of Sugar-canes which 
are known under cultivation in the Sugar-producing 
countries of the world. It would appear now that this 
object has in a great measure beeu accomplished in 
the extensive collections of Sugar-ctncs under experi- 
mental cultivation by the Department of Public Gard- 
ens and Plantations in Jamaica. Tie collection, as a 
whole, embraces about eighty varieties of canes, and 
it has been pronounced by a competent authority con- 
nected with the Department of Agriculture, Washington, 
" as probably the beat collection ol Sugar-canes ever 
gotten together." 
As indicating the wide area from whence these canes 
have been obtained, it may be mentioned that the 
"Elephant" cane, so called from the size it attains 
under favourable circumstances, ivas obtained from 
Saigon, Cochin China; the Salaugore cane is a native 
of the Malay Peninsula, where it is highly esteemed. 
The Tiboo cane is also East Indian, and is a productive 
cane of great merit. From Mauritius there como the 
Home, the Mauritius, and the Karkley canes. Prom 
Queensland there are the Brisbane, the Green-Rose 
Ribbon, the Queensland, and the Hillii; while from 
the Pacific Islands (probably the home of the Sugar- 
cane) there are the Ijahaina, the Cuban, the Pua-ole, 
and the Ko-Kea. The Lahaina cane is described in 
Hawaii (Sandwich Islands) as being the most univers- 
ally esteemed of all canes, and emrywhure, excepting 
at great elevations, it is planted to the almost total 
exclusion of other varieties. This cauo Las yielded as 
much as au average of 6 tons of Sugar per acre on 
areas as extensive as 100 acres, and 7 J tons per acre 
on an average over areas of 20 acres. The Pua-ole 
cane, another groat favourite in Hawaii, is called the 
flowerless cane, because it never tassels, or throws out 
a flowering shoot. It is described as a soft, rich cane, 
yielding juice of high specific gravity, and especially 
adapted lor cultivation at high altitudes. The Cuban, or 
Ko-Puke, in Hawaii, comes next to the Lahsina. It is rich 
in juice, rattoons well, grows rapidly and is entirely free 
from " cane itch." The Samuri cane is ihe favourite 
cane with tho Sugar-planters of Fiji. It is hardy, 
grows rapidly and yields sugar freely. Of dark-rind 
canes, Mich us violet, purple, and black, there are 
numerous varieties. Many of these, such is the Egyp- 
tian and th6. Martinique, are admirably adapted for 
dry, arid regions, and grow luxuriantly where other 
canes would fail. O'liers, again, are adapted only as 
fodder plants, and are often grown for that purpose 
when grass is scarce. The Mamuri cane, of a dusky 
brown colour, is certaiuly a strange-Iookhg caue. It 
would appear to be covered with a thin, dry bark, 
which marks it at onco as a distiuct au<! specialised 
variety. This is a hardy, slender caue, vhich would 
grow in the driest situations. Of stripea canes there 
•re very handsome speoimons, such as thi Oreen-Rose 
Ribbon and the Red Ribbon, which attrkct attention, 
and are likely to be great favourites with planters. 
In the West Indies generally the favourite canes 
are the Otaheite, the transparent, Mort Blanc, and 
the Hoiirbou. These may be said to yielJ the bulk of 
Cuban and West Indian Sugars, but several others are 
being tried, with the view of testing thiir capabilities 
for differeut soils and climate. As the Sugar-cane has 
loit the power of producing seed from whioh plants 
may he raised, it is now entirely propagated by shoots 
or pieces of the litem, which aro furnished with eyes 
at every joint. These eyes givo rise to new plants, which 
necessarily must he identical with the parent plant, and 
kocp true for an indefinite period. The importance of in- 
M ladng new oanes, and so testing the highest produc- 
ing powers of the land, in these , lavs c f low pries and 
KWD competition, is self-evident. From the supplement 
to the Jamaica Gat ette wo find that the collection of 
canes nbovomentioned sent to tho New Orleans Exposi- 
tion has lately been carefully tested by Dr. Crainptou 
chemist, attached to the Bureau of Uhemistry Depart- 
ment, Washington, D. C. Planters iu the Wort Indie* 
would do well to proeuro these analyses, and carefully 
consider whether some of these mw cane* do uot offer 
35 
them advantages in a cultural and economic sense 
superior to the old. We m ly add that a full descrip- 
tion of these canes was given iu the lasr, report of tho 
Director of the Botanical Department, Jamaica, and 
Dr. Orampton's analyses aro intended to supplement 
these descriptions, and give Sugar planters every 
possible information on the subject. — h'<m I . 
THE CULTIVATION OF A WOOD 
FOR TEA BOXES. 
Dr. H. Meyer, Lecturer on Forest Botany at the 
University of Muuich, has recently published the 
results of his inquiries as to Forest Cultivation, 
in a tour of some months which he made through the 
northern part of India. Being informed of the scarcity 
of indigenous wood suitable for Tea boxes, he directed 
his particular attention to this subject, and he has 
come to the conclusion, taking soil, climate, and 
other contingent matters into full consideration, 
that the quickest, cheapest, surest means of providing 
for a future suitable supply of wood for Tea-boxes, 
Jn this country, would bo to cultivate the Oryptonveria 
(Japanese suji), or, as Dr. Meyer calls it, 'Sequoia 
Japonica, for the Hills round Darjeeling, and the 
Panfloniti imperialis (or the Japanese h'iri) for the 
plains, Terai, and lower hills of the N. W. P. and 
the Punjab. It may be argued that the proper 
persons to give attention to and advice on this 
subject are the Forest Department, and no doubt 
the matter will be taken up by them, but it is 
within the ability of any planter to create for 
himself timber reserves, and the doing so will be 
found by no means unprofitable. 
In Japan, the Suji (Japanese cedar) is largely cul- 
tivated all over the whole empire, and it is also 
found in a wild state. It forms a splendid mass 
of forest in many districts, and grows to the height 
ofl50 feet, with a girth of 6 feet and more. The 
tree is said to be a native of China. At any rate 
from that couutry the first seed was brought to 
Darjeeliug by Mr. Fortune. A few trees onl y were 
at the time plauted, but the kiudly way iu which 
they have takeu to the hill, soil, and climate, shows 
the adaptability of the place to their cultivation, 
and it is to be hoped, now that the value and suitability 
of the wood for tea boxes is established, it will induce 
a considerable extension of cultivation. 
Iu Japan itself, the wood is highly prized, and 
very extensively used. It grows in all situations 
and soils, — in damp villages as well as on high mount- 
ain slopes, and is one of the commonest and also 
one of the most useful of Japanese timber-trees. 
The sapwood is whitish yellow, from 2 to 3 inches 
broad, aud is, when beams or boards are wanted, 
generally not removed from the dark-reddish some- 
times black-bluish, striped heart-wood. The wood is 
very light and soft, and easily manipulated ; and 
may be used for all kinds of carpentry busides Tea- 
boxes. For propagation of the Suji, the terminal 
piece of every branch is used, H to 2 feet long. 
The plantation in the ground must bo made before 
or at the beginning of the rainy season, the cuttings 
being put 3 to 5 inches deep iu tho soil. This method 
is much preferred to sowing, the young seedling 
being tender aud easily killed by frost. Although, 
of course, tho tree takes many years to arrive at 
maturity, its commercial value is none tho less 
ascertainable at any stage, and a tea estate possess- 
ing a reserve of this timbor, in almost any stage of 
growth, would possuss a marketable commodity of 
ascertainable value. 
In planting, scarcely 4 feet should be left apart, 
for only in a dense growth does the Suji soou lose 
its branches, aud produce a clean, straight, aud valu- 
able bole. 
There is another timber-yiolding treo, the wood of 
which is suitable for Tea-boxes, — the Pauloicnia im. 
pgtialit (called kiri in Japanese), but it does not 
grow well iu tho wet climate of the Eastern Himalayas. 
The wood of I'au/oicnia is largely used in Japan, 
not only for tea boxes, but for boxes aud furniture of 
every kiud. One peculiarity iu Uiu «ullivatiou ol tin* 
