The relations between sugar content and certain features of growth were followed in 16 sugarcane varieties during two crops. High sugar content was promoted by the absence of tillering during cane elongation, by a high leaf blade to joint weight ratio, by a long phyllochron, and perhaps slightly by a long life span of leaves. To combine high yield with high sugar content it is important to have a high tiller number early in growth, which appears to be promoted by delayed onset of cane elongation, small initial leaf size, and an upright leaf habit. To combine a small initial leaf size with a high leaf blade/joint weight ratio during elongation requires a large increase of leaf size during growth.