566 INFLUENCE OF SOIL AND CLIMATE ON THE SUGAR CANE. 
Two distinct operations are carried forward 
in the cane; the one belongs to the sap ves- 
sels, and, leaching to every part, sheds its 
vivifying power through the whole plant; 
the other belongs to the system of its proper 
vessels, and maintains the functions proper 
and peculiar to each joint. 
It would, perhaps, be tedious minutely to 
follow the plant through all the different 
shades of its developement and growth. Its 
juice is, of course, variously modified in all 
its different stages : in its first formation it has 
all the characteristics of that of unripe mucous 
fruits; after a while, it very much resembles, 
both in taste and smell, the juice of sweet 
apples; by degrees it loses this, and takes 
the smell and taste peculiar to the cane. 
The first joint requires four or five months 
for its entire growth, and, during this time, 
fifteen or twenty joints spring from it in 
succession, and the same progression conti- 
nues as, by degrees, each joint arrives at the 
period of its growth, which is ascertained by 
the decay of its leaf: this is the peiiod of its 
maturation. When the leaves of the two or 
three first joints which appear out of the earth 
have died away, there are then about twelve 
or fifteen leaves at top, disposed in the form 
of a fan. If the cane be considered in its na- 
tural state, it has at this period acquired all 
its growth, and arrived at the usual epoch of 
its flowering if it blooms, the principle of 
life and generation passes entirely to the de- 
velopment of the parts of fructification ; at 
this period, the joints which spring foitli are 
deprived of their bud ; and the sap vessels, 
with which they were supplied, pass into the 
leaf; whence it happens that, as the number 
of these vessels are constantly diminishing, 
the joints in a similar proporUon become 
longer, and their rind thinner. The last joint, 
which is called the arrow, is four or five feet 
long ; it is terminated by a panicle of sterile 
flowers, which are eighteen or twenty inches 
high. If the period of flowering is delayed 
by cultivation, then the principle of life passes 
to the generation of new joints, and this con- 
tinues till the sap vessels of the stole become 
woody, and do not afford a passage to the 
aqueous juices.” 
The other particulars, to which we 
beg to call the attention of those interested 
in this important subject, is the influence 
of soil and climate, in the cultivation 
of the cane. It is to he understood that 
plants containing mucous juices feel most 
sensibly the influence of soil and climate. 
Porter observes — 
* The flowering rarely happens, and never 
but to a very small proportion of some very 
few fields. Those canes which flower have 
very little juice left, which is by no means so 
sweet as that of the vest.- Roxburgh. 
On some soils, when the cane is planted 
early, and a vigorous vegetation is suddenly 
checked, it is often found to flower. 
“ Their juices abound more in saccharine 
matter in light and loose calcareous soils, than in ■ 
rich and marshy lands. They requirea favour- ' 
able situation for receiving the influence of ' 
solar light and heat, as well as air ; most im- 
portant agents in elaborating and peifecting ' 
the saccharine portion of the plants. 
Although the cane appears not to differ in j. 
kind, thete are great modifications in it, as ! 
well as in its produce from the same kind of , 
cane : these are marked in the most decided ’ 
manner, not only in different islands, but in 
different parts of each. Rumphius, who has 
considered the cane only as a naturalist, re- ! 
marks three varieties, and, according to this I 
author, the Chinese distinguish two. The first, J 
they named Tecsia, which has a thin rind, the [ 
second Gamsia, whose rind is thick. / 
The French introduced plants from the i 
East Indies into their West India Islands, J 
whence they found their way into some of | 
our colonies. Sir John Laforey, who plant- 
ed some of these, as well as some canes fiom 
Otaheite, in Antigua, soon discovered their 
superiority over tlie old canes of the West 
Indies, lie gives the following account of 
tiiem. 
One sort was brought from the Island of 
Bourbon, reported by the French to be the 
growth of the Coast of Malabar. 
Another sort fiom the Island of Otaheite. 
Another sort from Batavia. | 
The two former are much alike, both in | 
their appearance and growth ; but that of 
Otaheite is said to make the finest sugar. 
I'hey ate much larger than the Brazilian, the | 
joints ofsome measuring eight or nine inches ' 
long, and six in circumference.* * * * § They are ' 
ripe enough to grind at the age of ten months 
they appear to stand the dry weather better, ^ 
and are not so liable to be attacked by that 
destructive insect, the borer. § Indeed, these 
* Their colour, and that of their leaves, also 
differ from ours, being of a pale green ; their 
leaves broader, their points falling towards 
the ground as they grow out, instead of being 
erect like those of our Islands. Their juice 
also, when expressed, differs from that of our 
canes, being of a very pale, instead of a deep 
green colour.- Sir JoAn Laforey, 
f A few cut for trial, above twelve mouths 
old, were judged to have lost part oftheir juice 
by standing so long.— Ibid. 
J I observed, that after a drought of long 
continuance, when the leaves of our own canes 
began to turn brown at their points, these con- 
tinued their colour throughout. — 
§ A gentleman of Montserrat had some plants 
given him in the year 1791 by Mr. Pinnel, one 
of the most considerable planters of Giiada- 
loupe, who told him that, in the preceding year, 
when an exceeding great drought had prevail- 
ed, he had, amongst a large field of tbe Island 
canes, half an acre of these; that the want of 
rain, and the ravages of the borer, had dama- 
ged the former so much that he could not make 
any sugar from them, but that the latter had 
produced him three hogsheads. 
In the spring of this year, 1794, a trial was 
made of the Malabar canes on one of my plan- 
tations; 160 bunches, from holes of five feet 
square, were cut, they produced upwards of 
