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The best varieties are those introduced from 

 the islands of Otaheite and Bourbon. India is 

 indebted for their introduction to Captain Sleeman, 

 who brought them hither from the Mauritius in 

 1827, and committed them to Dr. Wallich, under 

 whose care they have flourished at the Botanical 

 Garden, and have been the source whence the 

 benefit has been generally diffused. Their supe- 

 riority over those usually cultivated by the natives 

 has been conclusively established. The largest 

 of Hindustan canes, ripe and trimmed ready for 

 the mill, never exceeded five pounds, while it is 

 by no means uncommon for an Otaheite cane 

 under similar circumstances to weigh seven pounds. 

 The extra weight arises proportionally from 

 greater secretion of superior sap. The sugar 

 is more abundant, granulates more readily, and has 

 less scum. Its other superior qualities are that it 

 fipens earlier, and is less injured by protracted dry 

 weather. 



Of the history of the sugarcane, the following 

 popular tradition circulates amongst the natives : 

 In very ancient times, a vessel from their country 

 happened to leave one of the crew, who was afflicted 

 with a grievous malady, on a desert island at 

 a great distance in the Eastern Seas, and, on 

 returning after a time by the same route, they 

 stopped at the island for the purpose of ascer- 

 taining the fate of their comrade, when, to their 



