39i 
Sugar-Cane in the West Indies. 
made at the base of these canes in the still healthy portion. 
On January 27, Melanconium stromata were evident round 
the upper wounds, but no infection had taken place below. 
These experiments show that the part played by Melan- 
conium in the ‘ rind 5 disease of the sugar-cane is that of 
a follower of Colletotrichum , and that it only invades previously 
diseased canes. 
III. A Root Disease of the Sugar-Cane. 
Since the rainfall of Barbados and the local agricultural 
practice have a distinct bearing on the root disease under 
discussion, some reference to these subjects seems necessary. 
There is a well-marked dry season in the spring as will 
be seen from the following table, in which the mean monthly 
rainfall at one of the stations is given from 1892 to 1901. 
The average annual rainfall during this period was 62*85 
inches, but the total precipitation on the highlands (above 
400 feet) was about 10 inches more than that on the 
lowlands. 
Mean monthly rainfall from 1892-1901 both inclusive . 
Month 
Jan. 
Feb. 
Mar. 
Apr. 
May 
June 
July 
Aug. 
Sept. 
Oct. 
Nov. 
Dec. 
Rainfall 
in inches. 
$.12 
1.65 
2.72 
2-53 
3 - 4 2 
5-03 
6.09 
r* 
00 
9.08 
7-28 
7.88 
5.81 
Planting is usually carried out in November and December 
and reaping takes place about eighteen months later, from 
March to June in the second year after planting. Usually 
the old stumps are allowed to produce a second crop of 
4 rattoons,’ the growing period of which is about a year. On 
the red soils in the highlands, two or three of these rattoon 
crops are obtained, but in the lowlands the canes only rattoon 
once at the most. 
As a rule the first crop of canes is healthy, at any rate till 
growth is completed and the ‘ red smut 5 disease makes its 
