26 
MADEIRA. 
and from America. For more than a century Madeira was 
considered as valuable chiefly for the quantity of sugar it 
produced ; but since this aromatic reed has been spread over 
the continent and islands of the new world, little is now in 
cultivation here ; and the sugar extracted from it is of a coarse 
quality, used only among the lower class of inhabitants, com- 
monly as an inspissated brown juice, not unlike morasses. 
The arid soil seems much better suited for the growth of the 
vine than the sugar-cane. Wine, indeed, may be considered 
as the principal product of the island, of which the quantity 
made varies, in different years, from fifteen to twenty-five 
thousand pipes, llie greatest quantity exported in an}^ one 
year appears to have been fifteen thousand pipes, in the fol- 
lowing manner : 
To the East Indies - - Pipes 5500 
To England - - - - 4500 
To the AYest Indies - - - 3000 
To America, and taken away by Americans 2000 
15000 
The value of Avhich, witli a little fruit and other articles ex- 
}X)rted, may be estimated at 500,000/., of which more than 
400,000/. is taken by Great Britain and its colonies, in ex- 
change for various manufactures and provisions, amounting 
in value to about 300,000/., making thus a balance against 
us, of 100,000/. America supplies the island with lumbei-j, 
staves, salt provisions, and grain, to the amount of 80,000^. 
annually, which is more than is imported into the island bj 
