boilers when he begins a new piece of Ground, that they may be ready to remedy any inconvenience from the variety of Soils.
One Acre of Canes yields sometimes four thousand of Sugar, commonly two thousand.
Sugar-Canes grow well within a Foot of water, and near the Sea they are large, though sometimes brackish.
Good Sugar is known by those used to making it, by its smell before it is made.
I have seen some try to boil Cane-juice to Sugar in an ordinary Skillet, with and without Temper, but both, especially the first, was naught, being black and glewy, the reason given me was the slowness of the fire. The Sugar-boilers always observing to make a very violent fire under their Coppers.
Hogs Grease, or any Oil is put a drop, or the bigness of a Pea, into the Tach, sixth, or last Copper, to lay the boiling over of it, and for no other end: it is immediately quiet upon its being dropt in.
Mountains, and Hill-Canes make bad Sugar, being black: they burn the Coppers, there not being moisture enough, therefore 'tis the best way to mix Mountain and Valley Canes; one bunch of the first, to two of the last, which makes good Sugar, or the Planters mix water with the Cane-juice to hinder the Coppers from being burnt, or the Sugar made black. Likewise too much moisture makes ill Sugar, for 'tis observ'd that after Rains the Sugar is brown, because the water makes it be the longer on the Fire before the superfluous moisture is boil'd off.
Out of Sugars are made great quantities of cool Drinks by Fermentation, for I was informed that Rap, is what in Nieves they call cool Drink, viz. Molossus and Water, and that Sugar Drink is made with Sugar-Canes bruised in a Mortar, or Hand-Mill, and then boil'd with water, and wrought in a Cask: it is clear like water. Locust-Ale is Cane-Juice clarified, mix'd with Rum. Molossus Drink is called Cawcaw. Upon drinking the Molossus Drink of Penils, or very bad Sugar, the Belly ach came to Barbados. Perino, before described is the wholesomest of all cool Drinks.
Out of the French Sorrel, in this and other places, which came from Surinam, is made a fine cooling Conserve and Syrup. This Sorrel is described hereafter.
Formerly this place of the Island was famous, in the time the Spaniards possessed it, for Tobacco. They now Plant some of it with their Indico, but they think their best Seed is lost or degenerated, being it is not so good as formerly. What they Plant here is that sort with long Leaves, and is only cultivated for the use of the Island, and not for Exportation. They take off the tops and sideBuds
