232 



I have endeavoured in vain to procure a copy of 

 this very valuable book, and am, therefore, obliged 

 to reproduce the extracts quoted by Mr. Simmonds 

 in his work on " The Commercial Products of 

 the Vegetable Kingdom." 



It appears that three kinds of sugarcane are 

 cultivated in India : 



(1) The purple. 



(2) The white. 



(3) A variety of the white, requiring a large 



supply of water. 



The epitome of the report affords the following 

 information : 



(1) The purple-colored cane yields a sweeter, 

 richer juice, than the yellow or light-colored, but 

 in less quantity, and is harder to press. Thrives 

 on dry lands. Scarcely any other sort in Beerbhoom, 

 plentiful in Radnagore ; some about Santipore, 

 mixed with light-colored cane. Grows also near 

 Calcutta in some fields by itself, in others mixed 

 with Pooree or light-colored cane. When sucked 

 raw, is more dry and pithy in the mouth, but 

 esteemed better sugar than the Pooree sort, and 

 appears superior to all others. 



(2) The light-colored cane, yellow, inclining 

 to white ; deeper yellow when ripe and on rich 

 ground. It is the same sort as that growing in the 

 West India Islands ; softer, more juicy than the 

 Cadjoolee, but juice less rich, and produces sugar 



