88 MANUFACTURE CF SUGAR. 



upon the ground, never ripen kindly, are sooner affected by 

 changes of season, do not endure drought, but begin at 

 the same time to wither at the top, and decay at the root , 

 and their juices contain less saccharine matter than those 

 of canes which are less forced in their growth, and whose 

 structure is more fully and firmly developed ; these rank- 

 watery canes, always make bad sugar, and are familiarly 

 termed by the negroes in some of the i-- • mils. " washy 

 canes/' This may account for the prejudice which ha? 

 arisen against the use of guano as a manure, m conse- 

 quence of the inferior quality of the sugar produced from 

 canes which have been manured with it, and the rapidity 

 with which the tops wither when the weather becomes dry. 



We may also notice, that in canes which are grown 

 in situations where they are exposed to the influence of 

 the sea spray, very rapid changes occur on every altera- 

 tion of weather. Canes so circumstanced are always the 

 first to suffer from drought, and revive the most rapidly 

 after a shower. I have been led to suppose that this does 

 not altogether arise from the excess of saline matter in the 

 soil, but- from an incrustation of salt which, during dry 

 :lier, is deposited on the leaves, and by obstructing 

 their pores, produces an unhealthy action in the plant : and 

 that every shower which falls, not only frees it from this 

 obstruction, but washes down a fertilizing substance to the 

 roots, and stimulates the cane to more rapid growth, 

 Canes produced in such localities always contain an excess 

 of chloride of sodium, and their juices make a sugar inferior 



