35 ° 
Mr. Castles’s Obfervciliom on 
withered, apparently for want of nourilhment. Befides, had 
that been the cafe, the canes muft have been benefited inftead 
of being hurt by thefe infe&s. 
For the cure of the blaft, he propofed the application of 
train oil, which had not the leaf!: effect in preventing the mil- 
chief, and, if it had, could never have been generally enough 
ufed to anfwer the purpofe. 
This calamity, which relifted fo long the efforts of the 
planters, was at length removed by another, which, however 
ruinous to the other iflands in the Weft Indies, and in other 
refpeds, was to Grenada a very great bleffing, namely, the hur- 
ricane in 1780 ; without which it is probable the cultivation of 
the fugar-cane in the molt valuable parts of that iflauu mult me e 
in a great meafure been thrown afide, at leaft for lome yeaio. 
How this hurricane produced this effect has been conlxJered 
rather as a matter of wonder and furprize than attempted to 
be explained. By attending to the following obfervations, tne 
difficulty I believe will be removed. 
Thefe ants make their nefts, or cells for the reception of 
their eggs, only under or among the roots of luch trees or 
plants as are not only capable of protecting them from heavy 
rains, but are at the fame time fo firm in the ground as to afford 
a fecure bafis to fupport them againft any injury occafioned by 
the agitation of the ufual winds. This double qualification the 
fugar-cane poffeffes in a very great degree ; for a ftool of canes 
(which is the affemblage of its numerous roots where the Items 
begin to Ihcot out) is almoft impenetrable to rain, and is alio, 
from the amazing numbers and extenfion of the roots, firmly 
fixed to the ground. Thus, when every other part of the field 
is drenched with rain, the ground under thofe ftools will be 
found quite dry, as I and every other planter muft have 
obferved 
l 
