in Extra-Tropical Countries. 337 



Sabal umbraculifera, Grisebach. 



West-Indies. Attains a height of 80 feet, or occasionally even over 

 100 feet. Though naturally a tropical Savannah-palm, it has proved 

 even hardier than the orange. A near relative is S. Blackburniana 

 (Glazebrook), a native of Bermuda, where, according to Sir John 

 Lefroy, it gains a stem-height of 50 feet, and where the leaves are 

 extensively used for plat; the sweet pulp of the fruit is edible. At 

 Hyeres this palm withstood a temperature of 22 F. (Bonnet). 

 Another equally tall Antillan palm is S. glaucescens, Loddiges. 



Sabbatia angularis, Pursh. 



North-Eastern America. This pretty biennial herb is lauded as 

 a substitute for gentian by American physicians, and might with its 

 congeners be grown in medicinal gardens, though its naturalization 

 would not be desirable, as pastoral animals avoid the bitter gentian- 

 aceous plants. 



Saccharum officinarum, Linn4.* 



The Sugar-Cane. India, Cochin-China, South-Sea Islands, spon- 

 taneous; probably derived from one of the native South- Asiatic 

 species of Saccharum, according to Loureiro indigenous in Cochiu- 

 China, an observation confirmed by Dr. Bretschneider. Sugar-cane 

 having been cultivated in Spain and other countries on the Mediter- 

 ranean Sea, it will be worthy of further trial, at what distance from 

 the equator and at what elevations in tropical parts of the globe 

 sugar from cane can be produced to advantage. In the United 

 States the profitable culture of cane ceases at 32 north latitude; ia 

 Japan it is carried on with advantage to 36 north latitude and even- 

 further northward (General Capron); the average-yield of raw sugar 

 even there is 3,300 Ibs. per acre; in China this crop extends only to 

 30 north latitude. In South- Asia the culture of the sugar-cane dates 

 from the remotest antiquity; from China we have a particular kind 

 (S. Sinense, Roxburgh), which is hardier and bears the drought better 

 than the ordinary cane; this kind needs renewal only every third 

 year, and ripens in seven months, if planted early in spring; but if 

 planted in autumn and left standing for fully a year the return of 

 sugar is larger. Moderate proximity to the sea is favorable for the 

 growth of canes. Prolific yields have been secured in East- Australia 

 south to 29. A very saccharine but hard cane is wild in New Guinea 

 (Maclay). The multiplication of all sorts of sugar-cane is usually ef- 

 fected from top-cuttings; but this cannot be carried on from the same 

 original stock for an indefinite period without deterioration; and as 

 seeds fit to germinate do not ripen on cultivated canes, new plants 

 must from time to time be brought from a distance. Thus, New 

 Caledonia and Fiji have latterly supplied their almost wild-growing 

 splendid varieties for replanting many sugar-fields in Mauritius and 

 some other places. The Bourbon-variety is praised as one of the 

 richest for sugar; the Batavian variety, S. violaceum (Tussac), is 

 content with less fertile soil. Many other varieties are known. The 



