(7) 



sumption of Sugar will give a very fair idea of the wealth 

 and prosperity of a people. 



Unlike Grape Sugar, Cane Sugar is produced by compai- 

 atively few plants, in sufficient quantity to render its ex- 

 traction profitable. The Sugar Cane, Chinese Cane, (or 

 Sorghum) the Sugar Maple, a few species of Palm and 

 the Sugar Beet being the only members of the vegetable 

 kingdom from which it is obtained in any quantity. ^Nor 

 can it be made artificially. Of the above mentioned sources 

 of Cane Sugar, Sugar Cane supplies G6 per cent., Sugar 

 Beets 28 per cent., the Palms 5 per cent., and the Maple 1 

 per cent. 



In the Report of the United States Commissioner of Agri- 

 culture for 187G, we find the following tables, showing the 

 consumption, source and cost of the sugar used in this 

 country. 



SOURCE AND CONSUMPTION. 



" The commercial estimate of the supph' of the past year 

 is as follovrs : 



TONS. 



Cane Sugar, domestic and foreign 038,869 



Cane Sugar received on the Pacific coast 28,300 



Cane Sugar made from Molasses -13,(300 



Maple Sugar 13,000 



Domestic Beet, Sorghum, etc., 2,000 



Taken for consumption in 1876 725,269 



Taken for consumption in 1875 773,002 



On the basis of a population of 45,000,000 the consumj*- 

 tion would be 36 pounds to each in 1876, and 38 for the 

 population in 1875. The sugar supply of the commercial 

 world in 1875 was 3,457,623 tons, of which 40 per cent, was 

 Beet Sugar made in Europe. Cuba produced one-third of 

 the Cane Sugar ; the other We:^t India Islands and Brazil, 



