Its introduction to Europe appears to have been one of the results of the Crusades. The sugar-cane was grown in Cyprus about the middle of the 12th c. ; it was from thence, at a later time, transplanted to Madeira, and at the commencement of the 16th c., was carried from the latter island to the West Indies. Originally, in all probability, only the sweet recent juice was known; for apparently the art of boiling it down, and form ing it into raw sugar, was an invention of the 15th c. ; and it was not until the middle of the following century that a Venetian discovered the art of refining sugar, which soon became established in Germany. The first refinery of which any notice exists was one in Dresden, as early as 1597; but long previous to this the subject bad attracted solmuch attention as to be discussed in learned treatises, one of which in particular, the Sacchar •logia of Sala, in the beginning of the 16th c., shows that the clarification of the syrup by defection was then a matter of some importance. Still, the manufacture of sugar in the countries to which it had been introduced made but slow progress, for its use was limited by its dearness to the wealthy. The material has now, however, become one of the commonest necessaries of life, and has largely conduced to the health of nations. Until 1747, sugar was supposed to be the product of the sugar-cane only, but in that year, Marggraf, a German chemist, demonstrated that it was a natural product of other vege tables, and especially of the beet-root; and half a century later, its manufacture from that source was first commenced in Silesia. A large portion of the sugar consumed on the continent is now obtained from this source. See BEET-ROOT SUGAR.
Since we have become better acquainted with the sources of our own supplies, we have learned that a large portion of the raw sugar of the EaSt Indies received in British ports as cane-sugar is in reality made from the juice of several palms, especially that of arenga saccharifera, and the wild date, pluunic sylvestris. The juice is obtained from these plants by cutting off the male spadix when young, and from the cut portion there is for four or five mouths a continual flow. The liquid is at first clear, and is immedi ately boiled down to a thick sirup, which granulates on cooling, and constitutes, if not otherwise purified, the coarse brown sugar called jaggery, which is extensively consumed i in India. More carefully prepared, it is sent to Europe with sugar made in the cane plantations, and is only distinguished from it by well-skilled persons: If the juice is not immediately boiled, it becomes turbid, and passing into the vinous fermentation, forms the intoxicating drink called toddy.
In Canada and in the United States very much sugar is made by boiling the juice or sap of the sugar maple-tree (aver saccharinum). The sorghum saccharatum, or sugar-grass (see DURRA), and the stalks of ordinary maize or Indian corn (zea) yield sugar, which has lately been made so as fairly to rival the best crystallized cane-sugar (see under SUGAR-CANE).
Beet-root sugar is manufactured from the fresh•dug roots, chiefly of the varieties we call mangold-wurzel. The process (which, however, is constantly undergoing modifica tions) is briefly described in the article BEET-ROOT SUGAR. Beet-root yields from 7 to S
per cent of sugar, of which only 3 to 4 per cent are of the best quality, called melis, 2 to 3 per cent of the second quality, calledfarin, and the remainder molasses.
The manufacture of starch-sugar is described in the article GmicosE.
From the beginning of the 16th c., when the sugar-cane of India was introduced to the West Indies, sugar has been one of the most important products of those islands. Careful cultivation has produced many varieties of this useful plant, some of which are better adapted than others for particular localities. The original variety introduced into the West Indies is still cultivated under the name of the Creole cane; but the favorite variety is the Otalieite cane, which is the most luxuriant grower, and gives the largest yield of juice. It is the variety chiefly cultivated in Brazil, Demerara, and Venezuela, as well as the West Indies. In many parts of the east, another admirable variety is the Batavian or striped cane; it was originally raised in Java, and is the favorite with rum distillers.
The extraction of juice from the sugar-cane is effected by simple pressure. In its native country, India, there are still in use in some districts machines of the rudest con struction, which are probably the same which were used a thousand years since. The Chinapatam sugar-mill consists of a mortar made by cutting down some hard-wood tree to within 2 or Wft. of. the ground, and hollowing the top of the portion left standing in the ground into the form of a mortar. A small hole is then bored obliquely through from the bottom of the cavity to the outside, and a pipe conveys the juice into a jar. A_ cylindrical piece of wood, sharpened at each end, acts as a pestle, and is kept in its place with sufficient pressure by a lever and ropes. Two men are required: one has a basket supplied with small lengths of freshly-cut cane, which he places, 2 or 3 at a time, in the mortar, and, when necessary, removes the crushed ones; the other man sits on the other end of the train, balancing it, and at the same time drives oxen which are attached to the end of the beam, and keeps the movable parts of the mill constantly turning round. Notwithstanding the rudeness of this contrivance, vel.y large quantities of sugar are made by it in India. A. much better one, however, is the Chica Ballapura engine, which consists of two upright rollers, the heads of which are formed into double spiral screws, which work in one another, so that when an ox is yoked to the long curved lever and goes round, one of the upright rollers, being connected with the lever, is made to revolve, and its screw carries the other one round, but in an opposite direction. The pieces of cane are fed in by hand between the rollers, and as the juice is squeezed' out, it Bows down into a small hollow below the frame made to receive it, whence a small trough carries it to an earthen pot. The frame of this mill is securely fixed with stakes driven deep into the ground. In all probability, this very ancient machine has been the origin of all the most modern ones, for they all consist of rollers placed either vertically or horizontally, between which the canes are made to pass.