BOOK III. CHAP. VIII. 793 



Of thefe the fugar loaf is moft cfteemed ; it is propagated by the 

 CTOwn arifing from the fummit of its pyramid, or by the fuckers 

 Ipringing from the roots ; but the latter come quicker to maturity. 

 They all thrive bed in a brick mould, and warm fituation. Some 

 perfons cultivate them on the top of fmall ridges or banks, raifed 

 about 18 inches, and difpofed in ftraight rows; they grow mofh 

 luxuriantly when they are thus affociated together, like t!ie pen- 

 guin, and the fuckers from them are flronger and finer than when 

 the plants are feparated to a diftance from each other, and their 

 roots are likewife kept cooler and moifter. They are fubjeft, efpecially 

 in a very dry feafon, to be attacked with a fmall white infeft, which, 

 if not deflroyed, will overfpead the leaves quite to the root, flop the 

 growth of the plants, and confume their juice. 



This is fufpefted to be the fame which frequently does fuch mif- 

 chief in long droughts, to the cane pieces, and is called the blafl. In 

 order to kill them, it has been recommended to fleep the frefh 

 leaves and flems of tobacco, for twelve Jiours in water, and fprinkle 

 all the plants every day with this water,' by means of the common 

 garden pot, till the infedls difappear ; the water fo impregnated is 

 laid to kill thefe animalcules, without doing the fmallefl injury to 

 the plants. Some ufe a fponge ; but this is too laborious and dila- 

 tory a method, where the plants are numerous, and all or moft of 

 them affected. Perhaps a flrong decoftion of the tobacco leaves, 

 ufed when perfectly cool, might be found ftill more effeclual; the 

 experiment might likewife be praftifed on cane pieces, by means of 

 a water engine, with a rofe-head ^^it^ upon the difcharging pioe. 



The bog-walk pine is not fo Iweet or agreeable as the others ; 

 and next to the lugar loaf, the Montferrat pine is reckoned mofl 

 eligible; there is, however, a variety in their flavour, accommodated 

 to different palates, fome being more acid, or more rich and cloying 

 than others. 



The fermented juice of the fvveeter forts has been made into a 

 very pleafant wine, and is Ibmetimes mixed in the ciflerns that con- 

 tain the liquor for rum, in order to communicate a more agreeable 

 zefl. They are a profitable commodity in this ifland, either for 

 liile in the towns, or to the fhippingj and lome of the fruit is ex- 

 VoL. III. 5 I ported 



