SUGAR. 267 



sprouts appear, and being moulded as they 

 grow, the ridges of earth are entirely level- 

 led in four or five months. 



It is scarcely necessary to mention, that 

 the ground should always be kept clear of 

 weeds, which will ensure the plants arriving 

 at perfection, unless attacked by what is 

 called the blast, which often destroys whole? 

 fields of canes, and is occasioned by myriads 

 of minute insects, appearing like white 

 spots or blotches upon the cane, supposed 

 to be the Aphis of Linnaeus, for which no 

 effectual remedy has yet been found. Ed- 

 wards mentions, indeed, the raffle ant, 

 which, he says, will also clear a plantation 

 of those destructive animals, rats, ruinous 

 enemies to the sugar-cane : he, however, has 

 his doubts. The same author enumerates 

 the most convenient and proper manures for 

 cane-fields, as follow: 1st. Of the coal and 

 vegetable ashes, drawn from the fires of the 

 boiling and still-houses. 2nd. Feculenciefl 

 discharged from the still-house, mixed up 

 with rubbish of buildings, white time, &c. 

 3rd. Refuse of field trash, i. e. the decayed 

 leaves and stems of the canes, so called in 

 contradistinction to cane-trash, reserved fof 

 fuel. 4th. Dung obtained from the hofse 



