INTRODUCTION. XV 



dustry, the fluctuations have been mainly due to ab- 

 surd systems of internal taxation in France, which 

 have discriminated against a great domestic industry 

 which was of immense value to the people and the 

 country ; whilst, on the contrary, in Austria and Ger- 

 many a steady increase in the number of fiictories has 

 taken place, — the first named country, being unable to 

 consume at home its entire product, has become a large 

 exporter. In Russia the industry is in an equally 

 flourishing condition. 



The United States has made some few attempts to in- 

 troduce the sugar industry, and the non-success of these 

 efibrts has been mainly due to the want of sufficient 

 information, which the author has attempted here to 

 supply. It is true we have done something in cane 

 sugar in Louisiana, but, for reasons which he has 

 given, he does not deem it possible that this country 

 can be rendered independent of the rest of the world 

 by these supplies, or by those from such sources as the 

 maple tree, sorghum, glucose, etc. etc. The thorough 

 and complete development of the sugar industry in 

 this country would introduce immense economic 

 changes as well here as in other countries, for when 

 the $80,000,000 annually paid for foreign labor in the 

 form of sugar is paid to our own people, it will be- 

 come a source of wealth equal to its entire annual 

 amount — adding to oar productions this whole sum, 

 and, at the same time, rendering the soil more produc- 

 tive for other cro]3S. 



