184 PEOCEEDINGS OF THE SCIENTIFIC ASSOCIATION. 
fungoid affections of the plant, have received but scant 
attention. Within the last few years, however, some im- 
portant steps have been taken to ascertain the nature of these 
diseases, and some laborious researches on the subject have 
been published by certain writers, notably by Professor 
Liversedge, Dr. Bancroft, and Mr. Staiger, in Australia. 
It appears to be a matter of tolerable certainty that these 
diseases are caused either by the absence or deficiency of 
some necessary ingredient in the cane soils ; or, on the other 
hand, by the presence of some noxious matter. But much 
patient investigation, involving minute analysis of the ash 
constituents of the various species of cane, and of the different 
soils, and comparisons of analytical data, from every source, 
is needed before definite conclusions can be drawn respecting 
the influence exercised by the presence or absence of any 
particular constituent. 
The samples of diseased canes which I examined were 
three in number, each from a separate field, and belonging 
to Orange Grove estate. They consisted of three distinct 
stoles, and came into my hands in an apparently fresh 
condition, with their roots and adherent earth enclosed in 
canvas bags. The canes of samples No. I. and No. III. 
were approaching maturity, No. II. was still green. 
No. I. sample included three fairly grown canes, a dwarf 
one, and a young shoot. The longest cane measured nearly 
six feet, but the upper third was little more than dry woody 
fibre scarcely in. in diameter. All the canes in this stole 
presented a dull and shrivelled appearance, the nodes being 
prominent, and the silicious covering of the internodes corru- 
gated longitudinally. The length between the nodes varied 
more than in healthy canes, the shortest spaces being usually 
