265 
KATUK.A1. HISTORY. 
T:he SUGAR-CANE 
T 
JtS the produce of Barbadoes, Jamiica, 
Nevis, ?cc. This plant bears on each joint 
a cane, five or fix feet high, and adorned 
■with long, ftrait, green leaves, fiinilar to 
flags, or fleur-de-lis. On the top they have 
a plume of filver-eoloiired flowers. The 
canes contain a porous fubfiance, ' of which 
the fugar is made. When they are mature, 
the canes are cut off, at the firfl joint from 
the ground ; and arc laid in heaps, like our 
fheaves of corn in harvefi-time: being cleared 
from their leaves, they arc tied in bundles, 
and carried to the mills, which prefs out their 
j’.uce : this is put into boilers, in order to 
evaporate the watery particles, lb as to let 
nothing but the fiigar fubfide. The fugar Is 
then cleared, by a mixture of ingredients, 
adapted to the purpofe of fining and prepar- 
ing it for graining. While it is boiling, the 
feurn, which rifes ih great quantities, is clear- 
ly taken from the furfacc, until the fugar is 
re-ady to he emptied in tlic ccfolers ; from 
whence it is again fliifted into earthen pots, 
vvitii holes in their bottoms, which drain 
the molafies into other pots, placed beneath : 
the latter is an. entire montli in feparatiiig it- 
.I'eU from the fugar ; which is then put into 
calks, or hoglhcads for traal'portation. The 
lugav-oaiie, in England, is lo tender as not 
