GXASSJZS, GRAINS, AND PLANTS. 



first grown in Southern Asia, whence it spread into Africa, and 

 later into America. 



The Arabs, in the Middle Ages, introduced it into Egypt, 

 Sicily, and Spain. It was taken to the Canaries in 1 503 ; was 

 introduced into Brazil in the beginning of the sixteenth century ; 

 brought to San Domingo in 1520, and afterwards to Mexico, 

 about 1530; was first planted in the United States in 1751. 



Its cultivation, in this country, has not kept pace with the 

 demand, and sugar at the present time is an important article 

 of importation. The cultivation of the sugar-cane requires the 

 utmost care, and is very expensive. It is not raised from the 

 seed, but from the cane, buried in rows, which send up shoots 

 from the joints. The cane is renewed every two years. It is 

 planted in September or October, and is gathered the following 

 year in October to December. It requires clean cultivation, 

 and yields about one ton of sugar to the acre. 



Quantities of cane sugar and molasses produced in the United States^ during 

 the years from 1881 to 1889, inclusive. 



