io6 
W. G. Freeman. 
Striped Singapore, etc. Canes have during past centuries been 
distributed so extensively from country to country, that several of 
these varieties are doubtless descendants of one original stock, but 
as their recognized distinctions are mainly differences in epidermal 
colouring and habit, exact correlation between the varieties of two 
countries is extremely difficult. 
The origin of almost all of these old established varieties is 
unknown. Amongst them are many of the finest sugar producing 
canes, although unfortunately some are now very subject to disease 
i n the localities where they were formerly grown with such success 
for instance the Bourbon in the West Indies, and the Cheribon in 
Java. It is possible that some of these canes have been obtained 
by slow selection through long periods, or they may have arisen as 
“ Sports ” or “ Bud Variations,” and been perpetuated. 
Sports or Bud Variations in the Sugar Cane. 
The name hud variation is usually restricted in the sugar cane 
to cases where canes are produced differing in colour from the 
parent stem. In one case on record 1 a cane, with a red and yellow 
striped stem, gave rise to branches, some of which were striped 
like the parent cane, whilst others were plain yellow without any 
stripes. Cuttings from these branches give rise to plants true to 
their respective colours, i.e. bearing canes with stems all striped or 
all plain yellow, and, as will be shown later differing in their yield 
of sugar. 
The following instances serve to show that the phenomenon 
has been noticed and put to good account in many parts of the 
world. In Mauritius eight or nine such sports were in cultivation in 
1890, and some were reported as being very fine canes and exten¬ 
sively planted, being hardy and yielding more sugar. 
Single “joints” in some Queensland canes were either striped 
or unstriped and each joint treated as a cutting gave rise to canes 
of its own colour, and the unstriped canes were of higher sucrose 
content than the striped canes. 
The most exact recent information available is from Barbados in 
the Annual Reports of sugar cane experiment work carried out by 
d’Albuquerque and Bovell. The striped cane, already noticed, gave 
rise to shoots, some striped and some yellow. Cuttings from the 
striped and yellow shoots were planted separately under identical 
1 The lecture form has been retained, but a bibliography of the 
principal papers, etc., referred to will be given at the 
conclusion, 
