74 
TRIANDRIA TRIGYNIA. 
Class III. 
214. PERO'TIS. H. K. 
1283 latifoha W. ' 
Perotis. 
spiked 
215. SAC'CHARUM. W. Sugar-cane. 
1284 officinarum W. common 
216. IMPERA'TA. Cyr. Imperata. 
1285 arundinacea Cyr. reedy 
Leersia. 
rough 
Virginian 
Jl/E]clt 12 
Ml A 
217. LEER'SIA. R.Br. 
1286 oryzo'ides W. 
1287 virginica W. 
Gramine^e. 
2 au.s Ap 
M A 
218. DIARRHE'NA. Mick. Diarrhena. 
1288 americana M. American M /\ w 
219. ARUNDINA'RIA. Mich. Cane-brake. 
1289 macrosperma Mich, long-seeded M A or 
Graminece. 
... Ap 
Graminecu. 
2| jl.au Ap 
Graminece. 
2 jl.au Ap 
lA jl.au Ap 
GraminecB. 
2 jn.jl Ap 
Graminece. 
10 jn Ap 
>p. 1—2. 
E. Indies 1777. 
Sp. 1—14. 
India 
1597. 
Sp. \—5. 
S. Europe 1817. 
Sp. 2. 
Levant 
N. Amer. 
Sp. 1. 
N. Amer. 
Sp. 1-2. 
N. Amer. 
1793. 
1770. 
S s.p Rheede. 12. t. 62 
Sk r.m Sloan, jam. l.t. 66 
S CO Cvrill. ic. 2. 1. 11 
Host. gra. 1. 1.35 
Jac. ic. 2. t. 305 
1810. S CO Mich. am. 1. 10 
1809. S CO 
220. HOLO'STEUM. W. Holostetim. 
1290 umbellatum W. umbelliferous 
1291 cordatum W. cordate 
221. POLYCAR'PON. 
1292 tetraphyllum W. 
222. LECHE'A. W. 
1293 major W. 
1294 minor W. 
W. Alt- seed. 
four-leaved 
Lechea 
greater 
lesser 
TRIGYNIA. 
Caryophyllece. Sp. 2 — 5. 
O pr ijl.au Pk England old wa. S co Eng. hot. 27 
EUpr i jn W Jamaica 1814. S co Lam. ill. t.51. f 2 
Caryophyllece. Sp. 1 — 3. 
O w f jl W England san.pl. S 
Caryophyllece. Sp. 2. 
3 jl.au W Canada 
i jl.au W Canada 
CO Eng. bot. 1031 
1780. 
1802. 
D CO 
D CO 
Lam.ill.l.t.52.f2 
Lam. ill. t.52. f.l 
History, Use, Propagation, Culture, 
214. Perotis. From rr'^^o;, deficient, some parts of the flower being absent. 
215. Saccharum. From its Arabic name soukar, from which the Greeks formed trix.xZ''^?^ modern European 
nations sugar. Sucre, Fr. Sucker, Ger., &c. This grass or reed, though unknown to the ancients, has be- 
come of immense importance in modern times. There are many varieties or species both wild and cultivated, 
natives of the banks of rivers and meadows in both the Indies, China, Africa, the South Sea islands, and 
South America. It is cultivated in a zone extending from 35 to 40 degrees on each side of the equator. 
Where it was first cultivated is unknown ; in all probability, in India, for the Venetians imported it from thence 
by the Red Sea prior to 1148. It is supposed to have been introduced into the islands of Sicily, Crete, Rhodes, 
and Cyprus by the Saracens, as abundance of sugar was made in these islands previously to the discovery of 
the "West Indies in 1492 by the Spaniards, and the East Indies and Brazil by the Portuguese in 1497 and 1500. 
It was cultivated afterwards in Spain, in Valentia, Granada, and Murcia by the Moors, and sugar is still made 
in these provinces. {Townsend and Jacob.) In the 15th century the cane was introduced to the Canary islands 
by the Spaniards, and to Madeira by the Portuguese, and hence to the West India islands and the Brazils. 
The Dutch began to make sugar in the island of St. Thomas, under the line, in 1610, and the English in Bar- 
badoes in 1643, and in Jamaica in 1644. The culture of the cane has since become general in warm climates, 
and the use of sugar being universal, it forms one of the first articles of commerce throughout the world. Su- 
gar is described by Pliny and Galen as a sweet salt, and from the former it appears to have been used only in 
medicine. Actuarius, a physician, who wrote in the 10th century, or later, was the first to substitute sugar 
for honey in medicinal compositions. It was called Indian salt, and a small piece was recommended to be kept 
in the mouth to moisten it in fevers. Different medical men have written for and against the use of sugar, as 
they have against tea, coffee, wine, and all with similar success. The enjoyment derived from these articles 
to all mankind who enjoy them, is too great to be left oflP in deference to the opinions of a few. Dr. Mosely 
is the greatest advocate for sugar. For the last two centuries it has been an ingredient in the popular diet of 
Europe. It was in use in England in 1466, but chiefly in feasts and as a medicine, till it was brought from the 
Brazils about 1580 to Portugal, and imported from thence. The quantity consumed in Britain has always kept 
increasing ; the consumption of England alone in 1790 amounted to 166,573,344ibs. ; which, taking the popula- 
tion at eight millions, gives each individual at an average about 20 lbs. a-yeai. 
The cane, as a stove plant, is of easy culture in soft moist soil with a good heat ; it grows seven or eight feet 
high, but it never flowers. It was grown in abundance in the stoves of the Paris gardens, and a small sugar 
loaf was made from the canes, and presented to the Empress Josephine. In the botanic gardens of Toulon 
and Naples it stands the winter in the open air. 
The cane in the West Indies is propagated by cuttings from the root end, planted in hills or trenches in 
spring or autumn, something in the manner of hops. The cuttings root at the joints under ground, and from 
those above send up shoots, which in eight, twelve, or fourteen months are from six to ten feet long, and fit to 
cut down for the mill. A plantation lasts from six to ten years. Sugar mills are merely iron rollers placed 
vertically or horizontally, between which the canes are passed and repassed. The juice thus squeezed out, is 
collected and boiled with quick-lime, which being an alkali, imbibes the superfluous acid, which would other- 
wise impede crystallization : impurities are skimmed off, and the boiling is continued till a thick syrup is pro- 
