“ Kew, September 26, 1871, 
“ My dear Sir, 
“ I have carefully examined the supposed Saccharum seeds 
and find nothing but unexpanded flowers with stamens and 
pistil complete. Assurtdly no young plants were ever raised 
from these. I am quite of opinion that the sugar cane is a 
cultivated form of some species of Saccharum and that its 
origin has never been traced hitherto : and that it is probably 
of a species that is so much altered by cultivation that it will 
be difficult to trace its origin. Also, that the formation of 
seed is most unlikely. 
“ I believe that the best course to pursue in the case of 
Mauritius is to devote several acres to the growth of equal 
quantities of the different varieties known ; and to select from 
them these least liable to disease for future planting, and 
perhaps to repeat this process many times. 
“ I hear that Mr Yinson is about to publish a Flora of 
Bourbon. I wish very much that he would send to Kew a 
complete Herbarium of Bourbon plants and am writing to 
him to offer to correspond 
“ Believe me, dear Sir, 
“ Yours faithfully, 
‘‘ J. D. Hooker.” 
A propos de ces graines supposees, un des membres 
presents it la seance fait voir deux tres-maigres fruits 
d’un Litchi plante de graines depnis pres de trente ans, et 
qui vient de fleurir pour la troisieme ou quatrieme fois ; 
jusqu’a present ces fleurs avaient toutes avorte, mais la 
derniere floraison s'est resumee en ces deux fruits, qui 
peuvent etre compares a deux morts-nes. 
Cet arbre se trouve place a cote de quelques autres 
Litchis plantes de provints et qui sont en ce moment char- 
ges de fruits de toute beaute. Le pauvre plebeien fait 
triste figure en face de la haute aristocratie, et joue lerole 
du pauvre en face du riche, ou de l’ignorant devant 
l’homme qui a reju de ^instruction. 
