88 



when but once distilled, it is called " low wine;" 

 and it is not till after it has gone through a second 

 distillation, that it acquires the name of rum. The 

 6( trash" used for fuel consists of the empty canes, 

 that which is employed for fodder and for thatch- 

 ing is furnished by the superabundant cane-tops; 

 after so many have been set apart as are required 

 for planting. After these original plants have been 

 cut, their roots throw up suckers, which, in time, 

 become canes, and are called ratoons: they are far 

 inferior in juice to the planted canes ; but then, on 

 the other hand, they require much less weeding, 

 and spare the negroes the only laborious part of 

 the business of sugar-making, the digging holes for 

 the plants ; therefore, although an acre of ratoons 

 will produce but one hogshead of sugar, while an 

 acre of plants will produce two, the superiority of 

 the ratooned piece is very great, inasmuch as the 

 saving of time and labour will enable the proprietor 

 to cultivate five acres of ratoons in the same time 

 with one of plants. Unluckily, after three crops, 

 or five at the utmost, in general the ratoons are 

 totally exhausted, and you are obliged to have re- 

 course to fresh plants. 



Last night a poor man, named Charles, who had 

 been coachman to my uncle ages ago, was brought 

 into the hospital, having missed a step in the boil- 

 ing-house, and plunged his foot into the siphon : 

 fortunately, the fire had not long been kindled, and 

 though the liquor was hot enough to scald him, it 



