Page:History of the Royal Society.djvu/217



T is recommended to the Care of some skilful Planters in Barbadoes'', to try whether good Wine may not be made out of the Juice of Sugar-canes. That which may induce them to believe this Work to be possible, is this Observation, that the Juice of Wine, when it is dried, does always granulate into Sugar, as appears in Raisins, or dried Grapes: and also that in those Vessels wherein acute, or unfermented Wine is put, the Sides are wont to be cover'd over with a Crust of Sugar. Hence it may be gather'd, that there is so great a Likeness of the Liquor of the Cane, to that of the Vine, that it may probably be brought to serve for the same Uses. If this Attempt shall succeed, the Advantages of it will be very considerable. For the English being the chief Masters of the Sugar Trade, and that falling very much in its Price of late Years, while all other outlandish Productions are risen in their Value; it would be a great Benefit to this Kingdom, as well as to our Western Plantations, if part of our Sugar, which is now in a manner a meer Drug, might be turned into Wine, which is a foreign Commodity, and grows every Day dearer; especially seeing this might be done, by only bruising and pressing the Canes, which would be a far less Labour and Charge, than the Way by which Sugar is now made.''

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