74 SUGAR. 



ously, provided their health be good, as in 

 their natural maritime places of growth. 



Sugar, more or less pure, is very generally 

 found in plants. It is not only the seasoning 

 of most eatable fruits, but abounds in various 

 roots, as the Carrot, Beet and Parsnip, and 

 n many plants of the grass or cane kind be- 

 sides the famous Sugar Cane Saccliarum offi- 

 cinarwn. There is great reason to suppose 

 Sugar not so properly an original secretion, as 

 the result of a chemical change in secretions 

 already formed, either of an acid or mucila- 

 jt'inous nature, or possibly a mixture of both. 

 In ripening fruits this change is most striking, 

 and takes place very speedily, seeming to be 

 greatly promoted by heat and light. By the 

 action of frost, as Dr. Darwin observes, a dif- 

 ferent change is wrought in the mucilage of 

 the vegetable body, and it becomes starch. 



A fme red liquor is afforded by some plants, 

 as the Bloody Dock or Rumtx sanguineus^ 

 Enal Bot. t. 1533, the Red Cabbage and 

 Red Beet, which appears only to mark a va- 

 riety in all these plants, and not to constitute 

 a specific difference. It is however perpe- 

 tuated by seed. 



