96 FLOWERS AND GARDENS OF MADEIRA 



the sugar-growing in Madeira to become so un- 

 profitable that the mills dwindled down to only 

 three in number, and the cultivation of vines for a 

 time reigned supreme. This, in its turn, received 

 so severe a check through the grape diseases in 

 1852, that the cane was once more restored to 

 favour and again extensively planted. The cultiva- 

 tion increased, and new crushing machinery was 

 imported from England ; steam-power replaced the 

 more primitive methods of water-power, or working 

 the mills with bullocks only. After the revival, 

 for a time the cane was only used for its juice, to 

 be distilled into spirit (aquardente), but gradually, 

 new sugar -making machinery having been im- 

 ported, its manufacture was resumed and con- 

 tinued, until it has now reached the vast amount 

 of about 2,500 tons per annum. 



Different kinds of cane have been introduced, and 

 if the cultivation is to be continued at the present 

 enormous extent, artificial manures will have to be 

 largely employed to prevent the soil becoming ex- 

 hausted. The cane I may say luckily cannot be 

 grown above an altitude of about 1,700 feet, or it 

 would seem as if there would be no end to its culti- 

 vation, which by no means adds to the beauty of 

 the island, and to my mind is an unsightly crop. 



