L 120 j 



Samuel Bettor? s, M. D. Communication to the AgricuL 

 tural Society \ on Sugar Canes. 



Read 



To the President of the Agricultural Society. 

 Sir, 



As the cultivation of the sugar cane, and making of 

 sugar have become articles of primary importance in the 

 United States ; allow me through you to communicate 

 to the society some observations which I have just read 

 from James Austin, Esq. of St. Ann's Bay, Jamaica, 

 and along with them, beg leave to send some specimens 

 of the four different kinds of cane now cultivated in that 

 island. 



I remain yours very respectfully, 



Samuel Betton. 



Germantown, January 13th, 1817. 



Bambou cane. Requires a very rich moist soil, they 

 will produce more sugar, and that equally good, than any 

 other cane ; they require when plants, to be in the 

 ground sixteen months before cutting, and not to be cut 

 under fourteen months, as rattoons ; the plants generally 

 yield from half a ton to four tons of sugar to the acre. 



Ribbon cane. This will do better in a light poor soil, 

 than the bambou ; endure dry weather much better and 

 rattoon longer, will also give more sugar on a poor soil 

 than the bambou, they ought not to be cut as plants un- 

 der fourteen months, and if there is not much rain you 



