30 



CULTIVATION OF THE SUGAR CANE. 



more clearly the advantage which the Planter possesses over 

 the farmer of temperate countries, in the simple arrange- 

 ments to which his agricultural practice may be reduced. 

 I mentioned that sugar contains none of the elements of 

 fertility of which the soil has been deprived by the plant. 

 It is therefore obvious, that if, after extracting the sugar, 

 the Planter returns to the earth the megass from the mill, 

 and the refuse from the distillery, the soil will not in any 

 respect be deteriorated or impoverished, but that crop after 

 crop may be reaped; and provided the necessary tillage be 

 afforded, it will rather be improved than injured by this 

 apparently ceaseless drain. It is important therefore for the 

 Planter to bear in mind, that although he cannot too early 

 adopt the mechanical inventions which science and ingenuity 

 have introduced into the agricultural practice of the mother 

 country for economizing labour, and improving the texture 

 of the soil, yet if he bases his operations on a knowledge 

 of the facts above alluded to, he is free from all the anxiety 

 and expense attendant on the production and application 

 of manures. 



At present it is true that so long as the megass is used 

 for fuel in the manufacturing process, it is impossible to 

 adopt this system of cultivation. But this objection can 

 be readily obviated, by the substitution of coal as fuel ; and 

 when the many and serious imperfections of the established 

 method of sugar manufacture, and the superiority of coal 

 in furnaces of improved construction are considered, as 

 well as the benefit which must accrue from the operation of 



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