HISTORY OF SUGAR. 139 



FREDERICK. 



But what is it that forms such a crust sometimes inside 

 the kettles or other vessels in which water is boiled'? 



MRS. F. 



That is carbonate of lime, which appears to be held in 

 solution by an excess of carbonic acid. Such water is less 

 hard than that which contains sulphate of lime, and becomes 

 soft by boiling, when the overplus carbonic acid is dissipated 

 by the heat, and the pure carbonate of lime being precipitated, 

 forms "the coating or incrustation to which you allude. The 

 quality of water is also of great consequence in brewing, and 

 the peculiar flavor of the Burton and other kinds of ale, de- 

 pends upon the mineral contents of the water employed. 



HENRIETTA. 



Thank you, aunt, for this explanation. Esther, give me 

 some sugar, if you please. 



MRS. F. 



I dare say some of you can tell me where sugar first came 

 from. 



FREDERICK. 



Was it not from the West Indies? 



MRS. F. 

 No, it was imported into those islands. 



HENRIETTA. 



Then pray tell us, aunt. 



MRS. F. 



It appears, from a collection of the best authorities, that 

 China was the first country in which sugar was cultivated, 

 and its produce manufactured. It is tolerably well ascertained 

 that the inhabitants of that country enjoyed its use two 

 thousand years before it was known and adopted in Europe. 



ESTHER. 



When do we first hear of it? 



