170 



SUGAR. 



Queensland, because it is suited to tlie soil and climate of the coast- 

 land. In 1865 there were but 93 acres under culture with sugar ; in 

 1869 the total had risen to 5165 acres. 



The sugar plantations in Queensland continue to give promise of 

 very satisfactory returns. There are now eleven distilleries in the 

 colony in full work. The total yield of sugar, during the past 

 crushing season, was 2854^ tons ; the quantity of sugar imported 

 during the same period, 2090 tons ; thus showing that the production 

 is not yet equal to the demand. There were 76,311 gallons of rum 

 placed in bond during 1870, of which 35,379 gallons were exported. 

 The total average yield per acre, for the cane crushed during 1870, was 

 1 ton 6 cwts. qrs. 10 lbs. The average crop is now from 2 to 2^ tons 

 per acre, although 4 tons are occasionally produced, as at Jeridah 

 estate, Maryborough, from the old bamboo-cane of two years' growth. 

 The sugar estates range between 18° and 28° lat. The Inspector of 

 Distilleries states in his report that there is a prospect of a large 

 increase in the area of land under cane, especially in the northern 

 districts. The crop of the season ending March 1872 was 3750 

 tons of sugar. 



The varieties of cane grown here are the black cheribon, the 

 chigaco, a small yellow cane (name uncertain), a hairless variety, 

 leaf with smooth edges ; the violet cane, ribbon cane, and bamboo 

 cane. 



In New South Wales in 1872 there were 1994 acres under sugar- 

 cane, which yielded 25,000 cwts., and 2399 acres unproductive. The 

 yield of sugar in 1868 was 30,000 cwts. 



Victoria. — The sugar-cane having been successfully grown in Spain 

 and other countries on the Mediterranean Sea, Baron Mueller remarks 

 that it is worthy of further trial whether in the warmest parts of 

 Victoria under similar climatic conditions sugar from the cane can 

 be produced with advantage. Though the plant will live unprotected 

 in the vicinity of Melbourne, it does not thrive there sufficiently for 

 remunerative culture. But it may be otherwise in East Gippsland, 

 or along the Murray river and its lower tributaries. For fuller 

 information, the valuable work of Mr. A. McKay, ' The Sugar-cane 

 in Australia,' should be consulted. 



Bgypt. — The following account of sugar cultivation in Egypt, from 

 the pen of the Eight Hon. S. Cave, was contributed to the ' Barbados 

 Agricultural Eeporter' some years ago, and therefore requires con- 

 siderable modification as compared with the present time : 



" The sugar-cane was unknown to the ancient Egyptians : it does 

 not appear in those painted and sculptured tombs which, like the 

 Etruscan, have preserved the details of domestic life in remote ages. ' 

 The date, and doum palms, still familiar to the Nile voyager, are 

 portrayed there, as well as the lotus, and papyrus now almost extinct, 

 but never the sugar-cane. Nor is it enumerated, as it surely would 

 have been if known at the time, among the vegetables, 'the leeks, 

 and melons, and cucumbers ' for which the Hebrews longed, when 

 wandering on the nitrous plateau of the great desert El Tih. And if 

 identical, as supposed, with ' the sweet cane ' or ' calamus ' which 

 formed part of the composition of the holy ointment for the Tabernacle, 



