Agricultural and Commercial Society. 
good qualities of the Bourbon at its best but ot' 
a hardier growth and more able to resist insects 
and disease. It would be a rash man who would 
say that such a cane has yet been found, but that 
it will be is the hope and desire of all planters 
in this colony and I am quite sure that not only 
with Dr. Morris and an energetic staff all through 
the islands, but also with such able men as Professor 
Harrison — who was practically the re-discoverer of the 
seedling at a time when it was stated from Kew that 
such a thing was an impossibility — Mr. Jenman, and 
now Mr. Ward, and with the perfect system in vogue at 
the Gardens, I think we may have every hope that we 
shall see such a cane being cultivated shortly. It will 
however certainly not be B. 147 wdiich, whatever its 
good qualities as a "plant," ratoons too badly to be 
ever of use here. Next to sugar, rice bids fair to be 
the most important agricultural product of the colony, 
but it must always be an uncertain crop except where 
control of water can be secured. I sincerely trust that 
some scheme may be shortly forthcoming to enable the 
large areas suitable for this product to be brought 
under steady cultivation. We start the year with a 
drought of a very severe nature. I trust the rains may 
shortly fall otherwise the agricultural prospects for the 
year will be very poor. 
Elections. — Members : Messrs. P. N. Browne, Bassell 
Winter, A. J. P. Wainwright and Revd. J. Allan 
Campbell. 
Associates : Messrs. R. B. B. Reed, C. F. 
kirk 
A 2 
Wieting and N. G. Hohenkirk. 
