21 



Sugar. 



1. In the isle of Java different sorts of sugar-cane 

 are cultivated, especially one, known as the black Cheribon- 

 cane which is of a red or brown colour. The natives, however, 

 cultivate preferentially a kind of white cane for the inte- 

 rior market because it develops more amply. At one time 

 the white cane was also used by manufacturers, because 

 it was believed that it was less subject to the prevailing 

 disease, viz. : the ,,sereh", which proved, nevertheless, to 

 be an error. 



With a view to this disease several sorts of sugar- 

 cane have been tried, such as the Madagascar, 'the Mauritia, 

 the Sandwich, Borneo and New-Zealand, but none of them 

 could resist it. The Fidji-cane is very hardy, but it con- 

 tains but little sugar and therefore is rarely cultivated. 



2. In Java the sugar-cane is cultivated according to 

 two methods, called the ,,broedjoelan" and the ,,Reynoso" 

 system. For the first-named method the soil is completely 

 tilled and trenches are dug at an equal distance of from 

 three feet (1 ft. = 31 cM.); in these trenches at a distance 



