56 
SUGAR CANE. 
world. Barrow saw it growing in its wild state in 
Africa ; Thun berg says it is a native of Japan ; 
Osbeck found it in China ; Cook in the South Sea 
Islands, and Bruce in Upper Egypt. We are like- 
wise told that it still flourishes on the sides of 
Mount Hebla in Sicily, from whence it was con- 
veyed to Spain, Madeira, and the Canary and Cape de 
Verd Islands, soon after they were discovered in the 
fifteenth century. 
The account of a plant of so much consequence, 
producing such a revenue to our native country, 
and affording employment, both in its cultivation 
and produce, to so many thousands of our fellow- 
creatures, must not be slightly passed over. We 
shall therefore avail ourselves of the most authentic 
information which has been collected on the subject, 
and particularly acknowledge the assistance we have 
received from the work of Mr. Bryan Edwards. 
The sugar cane is a jointed reed, terminated by 
a bunch of leaves, or blades, whose edges are sharply 
serrated. The body of the cane is strong but brit- 
tle, and contains a soft pithy substance, which af- 
fords a copious supply of that juice which is so well 
known for its saccharine properties. The joints of 
the cane are generally from one to three inches in 
length, and from half an inch to an inch in diame- 
ter, they shoot up sometimes to the height of seven 
feet, exclusive of the top which bears the leaves ; 
but the growth of the plant varies according to the 
soil in which it is produced, and is therefore to be 
found from three feet and a half to the height al- 
