25 
II. 
VAKIICTIES OF SUGAE, XATUEAL AND AETIFICIAL. 
r>Y F. SuTTOx, F.C.S., President. 
Read 2^th November, 1884 . 
It is probaLly no novelty to any here j)resent to l)o told that there 
are several varieties of Sugar occurring in nature. Perhaps there 
is scarcely a plant or tree in existence which does not contain, or 
1ms not at some period of its existence contained, Sugar of some 
kind or other. I say at some j)eriod, because it is a fact, that 
many plants contain a notable quantity of Sugar in their earlier 
stages of growth, which disappears almost entirely as they ripen. 
This is the case with cereals, such as Wheat, and similar grain, and 
also with leguminous seed, such as Peans and Peas ; young Peas, 
especially, are noticeable for the quantity of Sugar in them, 
compared with that which occurs when they are fully ripe. Fruit 
on the contrary increase in Sugar as they ripen. 
Peet, Turnips, Carrots, Parsnips, and similar roots, contain Sugtir 
in tolerably large proportion, especially if wo take into account the 
large amount of water which they contain normally. 
A special variety of Beet is the richest source of Sugar among 
this group, to which I will allude further on. 
The two chief varieties of Sugar are : — 
1. The ordinary constituent of the Sugar-cane (Saccharum 
nrficinanim and varieties), the White Peet ( Beta cicla ), the Sugar- 
maple (Acer saccharinum), the Sorghum sacchuratum, known by 
some botanists as llulcas saccharatus. This latter belongs to the 
Gramincaj or Grasses, and it is the Sugar-cane of China, having 
l>een used there ;is a source of Sugar from the earliest times. 
The Cocoa-palm (Cocos nuci/eruj, the Borassus itaheUiformis, 
and Cargota nrens, Palms growing in Ceylon. The Sago-palm 
(A renga sacchari/era ), growing in the Moluccas ; and the Plantain 
