408 A Treatise on 
fes, as it is at this Time ufually brought to us. In- 
deed it is propable that the People of thofe Ages 
were unacquainted with this Art. 
Sugar therefore was known to the Ancients. But 
then Irom what kind of Reed was this Sugar or mel- 
leous Juice procured? This is a Matter of Difpute, 
fince two Kinds of Reeds which yield Sugar are now 
found in the Indies and Oriental Countries *, namely, 
the Arundo Saccarifera vulgaris , the common Sugar- 
Cane or Reed, and the Arundo Arbor efcens or Arundo 
Mambu of Rifo , (Mantijj. Aromat. 185.) commonly 
called Bambu or Bamboe. From this laft the Sugar 
exudes of its own Accord, though in a fmall Quan- 
tity, drying and concreting by the Heat of the Sun, 
and has been for a long Time called by the Indians 
Sacar Mambu : But no Sugar is made of its Juice 
by Expreflion. From the firft the Juice is obtained 
by Expreffion, and boiled to the Hardnefs of Salt : 
Hence the learned Salmafius . took occafion to think 
that the Sugar of the Ancients was only the Tear 
of the Reed Mambu , relying upon the Authority of 
Marcus Varro , who compares the Reed which is full 
of a fweet Juice, as to its Magnitude, to a Tree of a 
moderate Height ; and alfo upon the Authority 
of Solinus , who {cap. 52. de India y fol. 58.) writes 
thus, “ The marfhy Places produce a Reed, which 
is fo thick that being fplit in two betwixt the 
* c Knots, it ferves to make Boats to fail in : And 
from the Roots thereof a Liquor is expreffed of 
u the Sweetnefs of Honey. 5 ’ But notwithstanding 
that the PafTages here cited are to be referred to the 
Reed termed Mambu , they do not therefore exclude 
the common Sugar-Cane, which being replete with 
a more abundant Stock of Juice, muft certainly 
have yielded a much larger Quantity of Sugar. Nay, 
I am of Opinion that this is the Cane or Reed, 
which 
